The Favor
by Ominouswolf
Summary: Hermione gets sent back in time on a mission to defeat Voldemort. With new friends and new enemies, will Hermione be able to defeat him? A Remus/Hermione story, with Sirmione thrown into the mix.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I'm back. I did have this story posted before, nearly 50-something chapter put up. I deleted it all, but now I put them back up. So if you've read it before, its nearly the same. I did however edit it more in depth and more to the correct characterization, I believe.**

 **Anyways, thank you so much for reading and please leave a review and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: This is in no way affiliated with JK Rowling and the Harry Potter series.**

 **Hermione's POV**

"Err, Hermione, what are you looking at?" Ron glanced over the table at his bushy haired friend. Hermione jumped at the question, obviously thinking she was being sneakier than what she was. She quickly shoved the piece of parchment into her robes and looked at Ron.

"Nothing that concerns you, Ron. Please pass the pumpkin juice Harry." Hermione changed the subject. Ron continued to give Hermione a suspicious look, but it quickly disappeared when Harry brought up the upcoming quidditch match. Hermione dared a look at the piece of parchment again, this time carefully hiding it under the table.

 _Miss Granger,_

 _Please meet me in my office after dinner tonight. The password is dungbomb._

 _Do not fret, you are not in trouble. Also, keep it between you and me._

 _Yours truly,_

 _Albus Dumbledore._

Hermione frowned at the note, not quite sure what to make of it. While it did say not to fret, she had trouble relaxing after reading the note. It was almost always Harry that was called to Dumbledore's office, usually on Voldemort business. Maybe Dumbledore was going to start offering Harry's friends Occulemency lessons. She figured Dumbledore would offer her lessons before Ron anyways, she would be more eager to learn it. Whatever the meeting was about, she felt weird about keeping it from Ron and Harry; if it was important enough, she could tell them after the meeting. Hermione chanced a look at the teacher's table in the Great Hall. Dumbledore wasn't up there, that wasn't as strange these days. It happened almost frequently actually. Snape was gone too however, which was odd, he usually ate at the Great Hall, sulking at all the students.

"I'm finished up," she interrupted the boy's discussion on quidditch. "I'll be headed to the library then." Hermione nodded at the two, and then quickly dismissed herself from the table. She was slightly thrilled by the fact that her lie had succeeded. Both boys smiled up at her questiongly, but smiled nonetheless.

"She was acting strange." Hermione could hear her Harry comment as he watched Hermione leave the Great Hall. Ron snorted.

"She is a strange one." Hermione heard Ron say through a mouthful of food.

Hermione stopped at the Gargoyle in front of Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Dungbomb," she spoke clearly. The wide doors to the stairs opened and Hermione let out small gasp. She hesitated and looked around. Something felt wrong; Hermione could sense it in the pit of her stomach. If this was about Dumbledore business, it could hardly be any good knews.

 _Be brave. You're a Gryffindor! Be brave!_

Hermione took a deep breath and walked up the menacing stares. Surprisingly she found Remus sitting in one of three empty chairs, facing Dumbledore, talking in a low and angry voice. Not to her surprise, Snape was lurking in the corner, also looking irritated, but that was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Professor," Hermione spoke up, not talking to any of the three men in particular, but she oddly felt as though she was interrupting something very personal. The three men turned around to greet her. Dumbledore turned to her with a small smile, while Snape looked at her with great distaste. Remus however, looked at her with pity in his eyes. Hermione suddenly knew that this was not going to be Occulemency lessons, and she felt her stomach sink. If this was about Voldemort business, it was hardly good going to be good news.

"Ah, Miss Granger, please have a seat." Dumbledore gestured with his hand.

Hermione walked over to the nearest seat and quietly sat down, feeling both very out of place, and very odd. She noticed her hands were clammy when she reached for the chair. She silently hoped no one else noticed that her face had gone bright red.

"You are probably wondering why I've asked you to come here." Dumbledore spoke gently. Snape snorted at this and Remus shook his head in disgust. Hermione slowly nodded her head looking over at her old Professors with uncertainty.

"Hermione, you are a brilliant witch." Dumbledore began.

"I've been told the brightest witch in my year." Hermione smirked a little and glanced at Professor Lupin. Lupin looked at her with deep sadness then looked away and shook his head. Hermione quickly looked away and cringed.

"It was a joke." She spoke so quietly that she was sure no one even heard her.

"Miss Granger, we have a favor to ask you." Dumbledore looked at her again, this time with fierce look in his eyes. Without waiting for her reply Dumbledore began once again. "We fear that we are losing this war. Even with Mr. Potter we are not sure that we can defeat Voldemort's advances." Hermione gasped at this. It was unlike Dumbledore to openly admit defeat. "There is still a chance, for us to win, although the methods may be unorthodox, I believe it is necessary." Hermione gulped and looked at the two professors next to her. Snape looked revolted and Professor Lupin looked as he was going to vomit. Hermione felt the same way.

"Hermione, we wish to send you back in time to stop the first war." Dumbledore stated. Hermione let out a loud squeak and then clamped her hand over her mouth.

"How?" She asked. Why would they send her back? Why not Harry himself?

Dumbledore was quickly launched into his speech about Horcruxes and Voldemort. After explaining in great detail about the nature of Horcruxes, Hermione shook her head.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to back in time before Voldemort made these…er..horcruxes and defeat him then?" Hermione questioned.

"The time-turner _he's_ sending you back with was made in 1975. You can only go as far back as when the time-turner was created." Professor Lupin spoke towards her for the first time.

"Time-turner! You wish to send me back with a time-turner! That's years! Decades! Is that even safe? Not to mention highly illegal! If I got caught! Professor, If I got caught I would be sent to Azkaban!" Hermione spat at her headmaster. She had used a time-turner her third year, but that had only sent her back hours at most. She had never gone back nearly that far. She wasn't even aware it could be done.

"We have made the necessary requirements for this journey possible Miss Granger." Professor Dumbledore nodded. Hermione frowned and let out a shake with her head.

"You've figured I would have said yes then?" Hermione questioned her headmaster.

"I figured you wouldn't be able to say no." Dumbledore spoke gently. Hermione nodded her head.

"Why me?" Hermione asked the obvious question.

"You are muggleborn," said Dumbledore simply. "No one will remember you name or question you. We saw you most fit."

"I'll do it." Hermione said softly after a few moments. She wasn't sure what she was getting herself into. Agreeing to something so blindly was unlike Hermione. But seeing Harry so upset during the past few months after Sirius' death. She was sure it was something that could benefit everyone. How many more lives would be killed in this war? How many lives that have already been perished could she save? Hermione turned back to Dumbledore who smiled at her.

"You brave girl." Dumbledore smiled. Hermione blushed at the compliment a nodded her head.

"We will meet back here at this time every day for the next week to prepare you. Mr. Lupin and Professor Snape have even offered to talk to you about their time; they would have been about your age in 1975 correct?" Dumbledore looked over to the two men. They both solemnly nodded. By the look on their faces, Hermione could definitely tell that they hadn't offered to help her, Dumbledore had probably manipulated them.

"Professor, one more question please." Hermione turned away from the stairs. "After, after I defeat Voldemort, how will I get back here, to this time?"

Dumbledore's smile faded as his bright blue eyes looked onto Hermione. "Miss Granger, when you succeed to defeat Voldemort, and I say when because I have the upmost faith in you, the time right now will be extremely different. The time you live in now will cease to exist." Hermione's jaw dropped. "And Miss Granger, using the time-turner, for a journey as extreme as this, it will not be able to turn anymore. You would be stuck in 1975 forever." Dumbledore spoke. Hermione's face paled but she didn't say anything. She couldn't reject this offer now, not after accepting. She walked back to the common rooms in deep thought. This would be her last week with her old life. It would be her last week with her friends and family.

That night Hermione cried herself to sleep.

The next day went by quickly. Hermione was able to excuse herself from dinner without seeming suspicious. The password for Dumbledore's office today was Gumbobbles. She was instantly greeted by the three professors again.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore greeted her. Hermione smiled and sat down acrossed from her, in between Snape and Lupin. "Let's begin your training."

For the next two hours Hermione was tested on everything Dumbledore knew about Horcruxes and Voldemort. Hermione often figured that these meetings were similar to what Dumbledore and Harry discussed. By the time Dumbledore was done explaining the different and ways to defeat a horcrux, it was nearly 1 in the morning.

"Sorry to have kept you so long, but we do have much to go over before we send you away in a week." Dumbledore explained to her as she got up to leave.

"I'll walk you back to the common rooms." Remus offered. Hermione gave him a questioning look but accepted. Professor Snape and Professor Lupin had sat in on her lessons with Dumbledore, yet hadn't done much themselves. Neither of them were too experienced with horcruxes, and thus proved themselves almost useless.

"You're working very hard." Remus spoke once they left the office.

"I don't want to mess things up." Hermione firmly replied, not sure where her old professor was going with this conversation. She thought it would be strange for someone at Hogwarts to catch their old professor walking the halls with a student so late. But then again, the corridors were abandoned, and Hermione was a Prefect, she wasn't too worried.

"Always a perfectionist, Hermione." Remus mused sadly. Hermione frowned and looked up at him; she didn't know what to say.

"I know you are in the middle of a massive favor, but would you mind doing another one?" Remus stopped walking and turned to her. Hermione was startled by his straightforwardness. She slowly nodded her head.

"Hermione, when you go back, if you could…er..Warn us…About Peter. Somehow..I…Please..I lost so much from his betrayal...It…it was awful." Remus awkwardly asked her. Hermione looked up at her old professor. He was paler than usual; his face was sallow and scared. His eyes looked constantly in pain. Hermione wondered if the full moon was near.

"Of course, yes, anything I can possibly do to stop it. I will. I promise." Hermione urgently said. She didn't admit it, but saving Harry's parents were one of her top priorities. Remus's mouth opened and then closed. He awkwardly smiled at her then sighed.

"Thank you, Hermione." Remus decided on. "For everything, this isn't fair to you."

Hermione considered his words. "I want to help. Harry…He hasn't been the same since Sirius's death. This…Will be good." Remus nodded his head. They stood for a moment of silence, Remus staring at Hermione appreciatively and Hermione looking at everything but Remus.

"Well, I should be going. Goodnight Professor." Hermione politely told Remus and began to walk away.

"Er, Hermione?" Remus called to her.

"Yes?" Hermione asked a hint of irritability in her voice, not that there talk hadn't been pleasant, but she was exhausted.

"Please, call me Remus; I'm not your professor anymore. Harry and Ron do. And if you see me in the past, I don't think it'd be wise to call me Professor." Professor Lupin asked. Hermione blushed and nodded her head quickly. Harry and Ron had reverted to calling Professor Lupin either Remus or Lupin almost right after he resigned from being their professor; it hadn't felt right to Hermione. The girl walked to her common room again and collapsed onto her bed. This time, there were no tears.

Ron and Harry appeared almost oblivious to what was going on with Hermione. Harry was busy doing a different type of lesson with Dumbledore, and Ron was busy with Lavender. The lessons the next few nights with Dumbledore went on basically the same as the night before. Remus and (against his will) Professor Snape explained to her some information she might have wanted to know about 1975. Mainly pop culture references, but also important timeline facts about the war. Hermione was slowly becoming more and more prepared for this journey.

Before she knew it, it was the night before she left. Her nerves were high and her anxiety caused her hands to tremble. Dumbledore explained to her that she would attend Hogwarts, and search for the Horcruxes there. Dumbledore was sure that Voldemort would have had hid some at Hogwarts. She was to deliver a letter from current Dumbledore, to past Dumbledore, explaining her predicament. Hermione wasn't sure that it would work, but Dumbledore was almost certain.

Despite Dumbledore being confident in his plan, Hermione was still unsure. She desperately wanted to tell Ron and Harry, to confide in her closest friends, but at this point it wouldn't be worth it. So she headed out to the grounds, she decided that fresh air would be good for her.

After she reached the Black Lake she sat down and looked at the stars. It was something she used to do with her parents.

 _Her parents_.

Hermione cringed at the thought. She knew agreeing to this mission meant never seeing her parents again, but she also knew that protecting her parents was the most important thing. This was always something that was possible in war.

Earlier in the week Hermione had asked Dumbledore what would become of her when she was born into her own timeline in 1979. Dumbledore said that going back in time that long would have affected her destiny, making her never born into 1979. The thought disturbed her.

A loud howl brought Hermione from her thoughts. That sounded like…

 _Oh no!_

Hermione's head shot up toward the moon. How could she be so stupid! A full moon! She knew Remus was getting more irritable for a reason. She cursed herself and fumbled for her wand. When her hand reached deep inside her coat pocket to no avail she let out a groan. She left it in the common room! How could she be so stupid!

She scanned the dark grounds and began to run up to the castle. She didn't possible think that Remus would be this close to the grounds. Another howl ruptured throughout the air, much closer now.

Hermione was never an athlete; running was not her thing, especially running fast. She heard a low growl from behind and then was thrown into the ground. She let out a gasp as she tried to squirm away, but only succeeded in facing the wolf.

Without looking she already knew that it wasn't Remus. He would have taken is Wolfsbane, he wouldn't willingly attack her. This was another wolf, a much larger wolf. It peered on top of her with a look of thirst in his eyes, ready to attack. Hermione was just preparing herself for death when another wolf lurched at her.

Hermione let out a loud scream as the new light brown wolf left a large cut from her shoulder to her elbow. But when the weight of the wolf above her was gone, Hermione realized that the brown wolf wasn't trying to attack her, but attack the grey wolf. Hermione new it was odd behavior for a werewolf to stop a killing, but she also had a hunch that the light brown wolf was Remus.

Hermione steadied herself and headed for the castle once again. The grey wolf was occupied by Remus; the two were howling and screeching. Hermione cringed as she heard the fight, knowing that she could do nothing to stop it. Hermione ran as fast as she could up to the castle, she was losing quite a bit of blood, but knew that she would be fine. Once she made it in she ran towards Dumbledore's office. She spit out at least five passwords until she was let in.

"Remus scratched me but he didn't mean too! There was another wolf and it tried to attack me but Remus saved me!" Hermione cried as she entered the office. Dumbledore nodded at once, somehow understanding what Hermione was saying.

"I'll fetch Madam Pomfry, stay here." Dumbledore spoke quickly as he left his office.

Once Hermione was alone she took off her robe to examine the cut herself. It looked deep, it was bleeding quite heavily and it hurt badly. Madam Pomfry came storming into the office almost five minutes later.

"Let me see it!" She hissed at Hermione. Hermione cringed as she showed Madam Pomfry her cut. The nurse made a clicking noise with her tongue and handed Hermione two potions. Hermione didn't question them and drank them both quickly. She quickly felt very tired, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Hermione woke up the next morning in the hospital wing. It was early still, about seven in the morning, and no one else was awake. She began to sit up when she heard groaning in a bed across from her covered by curtains. Hermione stood up and slowly began to walk over to it. Peering behind the large white curtains was Remus, who looked to be in much worse condition than Hermione. He had another large cut that ran acrossed his face and the rest of him looked bruised and broken.

"Remus?" Hermione barely whispered. Remus' eyes shot open and Hermione stepped back in surprise.

"You're okay?" Remus groaned. Hermione nodded and pointed to the bandage.

"You scratched me a bit when you saved me from that grey wolf, but I'm okay." Hermione said.

"I'm so sorry." Remus sighed. "It's a cursed scar you know, it won't heal fully." Hermione gulped.

"But I'm not a…Its not..?" Hermione struggled to find the words to say. Remus let out another sigh.

"You aren't a werewolf Hermione. You might get moody and feel sick during the full moon, but you aren't a werewolf." Remus gently said.

"Oh." Hermione nodded looking at him. "Thank you Remus, for saving me." Remus smiled sadly at her.

"Will you still be leaving today?" Remus asked in a quieter tone.

"I don't see why not. I need to say goodbye to some people here though first." Hermione countered, thinking of Ron and Harry.

"I see. Well in case I don't see you before then. Good luck. And if you meet me, which I expect you will. I was different then, everyone was." He paused before adding, "Please do and try to save them." Remus softly pleaded. Hermione nodded her head, not needing to bother and ask who "them" was. Remus stuck out his hand to shake Hermione's. Once Hermione's hand touched him a deep shocked passed through her body. Hermione's eyes went wide and Remus's jaw dropped. He must have felt it too.

"What was tha-"

"Miss Granger! Mr. Lupin needs some attending too! Please excuse yourself, you are free to go. Just come back here tomorrow so I can rewrap your injury." Madam Pomfry interrupted Hermione's question. Hermione shot another questioning look at Remus as she was shooed out.

She went back to the common room and wrote Ron and Harry letters. Not telling them both too much information, but enough to hold them over before she could change things in the past. She set the letters underneath their pillows and headed to the Great Hall to find her friends. The two boys were smiling up at her and couldn't even tell she was injured because of the large jumper Hermione was wearing.

After spending her last few moments of time with the boys she wrote her parents explaining her situation. She felt guilty and awful and wanted to leave immediately. Staying here any longer would make her never want to leave. She packed her bag with her favorite books and pictures. She even remembered to write down the potion for Wolfsbane, she figured young Remus may want that, even if she wasn't sure how she would find the supplies to make it. She headed towards Dumbledore's office.

"Miss Granger, are you ready? I assume your injury is healing, no doubt." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled down at her. Hermione nodded her head.

"Please give this letter to my past self. It should explain things in great detail and I believe it will help you some." Hermione nodded and tucked the letter away.

"Remember your duties Miss Granger." Dumbledore said again. Hermione nodded.

"Sir, who will I be staying with?" Hermione asked, the question just coming to her.

"My past self will find some suitable accommodations for you, no doubt." Dumbledore kindly said. Hermione heard a sigh and looked over at the first time to Snape.

"Miss Granger…I do admire your bravery." Snape said slowly looking at her with something Hermione had never seen before.

"Thank you Professor." Said Hermione her eyes open wide in shock.

"Here is the time-turner, "Dumbledore said, as he handed her one of the magical instruments. "I've charmed it, so 3 turns shall do." Hermione nodded.

"Goodbye." She looked at the two men and turned it three times.


	2. Chapter 2

**Greetings Everyone!**

 **I have no idea how long it's going to be, but from what can tell, it's not going to be a short story. It's a Remione, so if that's not your thing than I apologize, I however LOVE it. It's not going to be Remione right away though; I'm not a fan of things jumping right in.**

 **I will try to upload as frequently as possible; I hate long waits between updates just like the next guy.**

 **Disclaimer; JK Rowling owns everything. She is the bomb dot com.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

When Hermione's eyes opened she felt very nauseas, she shut them quickly and let out a loud groan. Her head was spinning and her stomach was doing flips. She blindly stuck her hands out to steady herself.

"Oof!" She heard someone gasp as her hands made contact with what she thought were their shoulders.

"Er, lady, do you need help?" The male voice of the figure she clung too asked. It took Hermione everything she had to nod her head without throwing up.

"Here, let's just get you sat down," the voice told her as he guided her to a chair. Once Hermione was safely in a chair, she dared to open her eyes slowly.

A chubby boy who wore a Gryffindor tie and robes stood in front of her. Hermione took a deep breath as she took in her surroundings. Judging by the boy's hair cut, and general mannerisms, she was safely sent back into the year 1975. She noticed by the  
high peaked ceilings and large windows, she was at Hogwarts. She quickly shoved the time-turner back into her robes and looked up at the boy. 

"I must have eaten something funny." She commented as the boy raised his eyebrows at her. He nodded anyway and frowned again. She hoped he hadn't noticed the time-turner.

"I haven't seen you before, are you a transfer?" the blonde haired boy asked. Hermione quickly nodded her head.

"Yes, I should go see Dumbledore actually." Hermione said as she began to stand up. She looked around the room. Ironically it was the Gryffindor common room. Hermione let out a snort and turned towards the boy.

"Do you mind showing me to his office?" Hermione asked him. She knew very well where Dumbledore's office was, but to keep up appearances, she figured she should act clueless.

"Er, yes, sure alright." The boy unconfidently replied leading her out the room. Hermione looked around the common room and to her surprise it was empty. She frowned and looked up at the clock. It read nearly have past midnight. It'd make sense for it  
to be empty this late, but something still felt off.

"I'm Peter, by the way, Peter Pettigrew." The boy stuck out his hand to the girl as they walked out the portrait. Hermione's eyes went wide at the boy as she truly looked at him for the first time. It was no surprise she didn't recognize him, he was nothing  
like his future self. His face was round and kind looking, and his blonde hair was shiny and neatly combed. Future Pettigrew looked almost more rat-like than human and Hermione shuddered at the thought that this was the same man. Or no, it wouldn't  
be, Hermione was here to change that.

"Nice to meet you Peter, I'm Hermione." The bushy hair girl forced a smile and returned the handshake. The boys face lit up as he led her down the hall.

"Pleasure," the Peter said in a distracted tone, "I reckon you're from Beauxbatons, then?

Peter asked as he looked her up and down. For the first time in a while Hermione felt very uncomfortable.

"Uh, actually my mother taught me at home. She was quite the witch, very brilliant." Hermione thought of. She could have gone with the Beauxbatons lie; it would have been easy enough. But it didn't sit quite right with her.

"Oh," was all Peter said. "Well, er, here it is. I don't know the password. Usually James' is the one who remembers them. You don't know James yet, but he's a good mate of mine." Peter rambled at the front of the office. Hermione's heart dropped at his  
mention of Harry's father. Anger stirred from deep within Hermione, and she quickly turned away.

"Thanks Peter." She said coldly, being nice was too difficult at the moment. Peter looked at her startled and nodded his head.

"Okay, well goodnight." Peter said as he took a pause, stared at her, and walked away. Hermione wondered if he was already betraying his friends. She figured he wasn't yet; by the way he was speaking so highly of James.

Hermione stood outside the door, trying to think of passwords when she heard a voice behind her.

"Trying to get in?" a male voice asked. Hermione nodded her head.

"I need the password." Hermione replied shortly, her journey back in time exhausted her and she was still a bit nauseous. She turned and faced the boy and she immediately recognized him. The coal black hair and bright blue eyes belonged to none other  
than the infamous Sirius Black. It was like a punch to the gut. Seeing Sirius was a whole different story than to seeing Pettigrew.

"Bumbleberry." Sirius called out to the gargoyle from behind her. Hermione smiled slightly and choked out a thank you.

Sirius brightly smiled back as he pulled out a parchment from underneath his robe and began to walk away without another word. Hermione frowned at the odd behavior. She was half way up the stairs to Dumbledore's office when she realized he probably had  
the Marauder's Map, and was most likely looking for new passages to explore.

"Headmaster." Hermione greeted the old man. Dumbledore didn't look too different. His hair was a bit shorter and his face a tad bit less wrinkly but other than that, he was exactly identical to the Dumbledore in her time.

"I don't believe we have met." Dumbledore eyes twinkled at her over his glasses.

"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione quickly said as she reached her hand inside her bag and pulled out the letter. Dumbledore watched her with amusement as she handed him the piece of parchment. After reading it over he smiled at her.

"I was afraid it would come to this." He commented. Hermione sighed, relieved that he believed her.

"You must be quite the witch, to have been sent back in time for something so dire." Dumbledore mused.

"I've been called the brightest witch of my year." Hermione proudly told her headmaster. Dumbledore chuckled and sadly smiled.

"I've sent you back to find these, Horcruxes then?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione nodded and then opened her mouth.

"Sir, I have business at Hogwarts as well. I believe that, well, sir, there are countless lives I could save if I could carry out my school career here, as well as hunt the Horcruxes. I believe that I could do both, successfully." Hermione explained to  
the headmaster. Dumbledore chuckled and lifted up the paper.

"The letter states that you might ask to do that." Dumbledore smiled down at her. "And I'll have you. I think it best if we meet once a week to come up with a plan?"

Hermione nodded, "of course Sir." Dumbledore looked over the letter once more.

"What's the date professor?"

"September, 2nd. Our first full day of term. You'll be attending correct?" When Hermione nodded Dumbledore continued. "You'll be in your sixth year then. Miss Granger, you missed the sorting, but I have a hunch that you share the same house as I. Ah yes,  
Gryffindor, where the brave at heart dwell." Dumbledore beamed at her. Hermione nodded her head, wishing that she could just go to her common room and sleep.

"You need books for the term then?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. Hermione nodded her head once again. "All will be taken care of; I'll have your dorm accommodated to fit you as well. I'll fetch you robes and all the other necessities as well. Tomorrow  
morning, I would like you to meet with Miss Evans. She is in your year and a perfect. I assume you must know the school quite well, but do tag along with her for the first few days. I think it wise for you to play clueless."

"Alright Sir." Hermione yawned.

"You know the way to the Gryffindor common room then?" When Hermione confirmed Dumbledore nodded his head. "The password is HinkyPunks. Goodnight Miss Granger. I shall tell you of our next meeting by owl." Hermione nodded and slowly made her way to the  
common room. With no one out and about, she could almost pretend that she was back in her own time.

 _ **The next morning**_

"Who is she?"

"How am I supposed to know Alice?"

"It wasn't directed at you, _Marlene_!"

"Look at all that hair!"

" _Marlene_!"

"Shhhh! You're going to wake her!"

"Well why shouldn't we Lily, breakfast is soon."

Hermione eyes blinked open quickly. She took in her surroundings fast. Three girls stood around her bed, obviously startled by her quick awakening.

"Hello," a pretty red head stepped forward. "I'm Lily, we were just, uhm, wondering who you are, and uh, why you are here?" Hermione stared at the red head. Her eyes. They were Harry's eyes down to a T. They were bright and vibrant and full of life. Her  
green eyes shown a bit brighter than Harry's did, but Hermione chalked that up to the trauma Harry had recently been through. She was meeting Harry's mother.

"Wow Lils way to ease into that one." A dark skinned girl with short curly hair sarcastically snorted. Hermione looked from girl to girl; they were waiting for her to introduce herself.

"I'm Hermione. I'm a transfer student, well I was homeschooled, but now I go here." Hermione said as she sat up on her bed. The other girls nodded at her.

"Nice to meet you Hermione, I'm Alice." A round faced girl with shoulder length dirty blonde hair smiled kindly at her. Hermione recognized the face, she knew it somewhere. She took mental note of the girl's name.

"Why didn't you arrive on the train with the rest of us?" Lily asked. Hermione quickly lied through her teeth, something she was going to have to get used to doing.

"Missed the train. I've always had awful luck. I came sometime in the middle of the night. I casted a silencing charm so I wouldn't wake everyone up." Hermione decided on. The other girls murmured and agreed with her.

"I'm Marlene, by the way." The dark skinned girl cut in. Hermione stuck out her hand to shake the other girls, when her pajama sleeve rolled up, and revealed the ending of the scar Remus had given her. She quickly extracted her hand in what she hope wasn't  
such an obvious way and scratched the back of her head, a habit Ron must have passed down to her.

"Pleasure," Hermione smiled at the girl. "Do I have time to shower before breakfast?"

"Better make it quick if you want a good seat at the table." Alice remarked as she looked down at her watch. Hermione nodded then excused herself from the room. She showered quickly and managed to tie her hair back in a messy pony tail. She frowned at  
the result. She was used to her unmanageable hair, but it still annoyed her. She cast a glamour charm on her scar, which to her great disappointment, didn't work. She cursed it.

 _It's a cursed scar._

She remembered the words from Remus. Of course she wouldn't be able to cover it! She sighed and covered herself with sweater then put on her robe. She was unsure how Dumbledore did it, but the robe fit her perfectly. Hermione came back into the dorm room  
and put her clothes into the trunk at the foot of the bed. She paused as she glanced at the small box that held the time turner. So much had changed in such a short period of time. She walked down into the common room where she was greeted by her  
dorm mates.

"You'll love it here, it's quite lovely. Have you read A History of Hogwarts? If you haven't, I recommend it; it has loads of information on Hogwarts." Lily gushed to Hermione as she led her into the Great Hall. Hermione pretended to be astonished by  
the high ceilings and ancient architecture. It wasn't too difficult to act amazed, the castle was beautiful.

"The Slytherin's sit over there," Alice pointed to a table, "Hufflepuff's there, Ravenclaw's over there, and Gryffindor's, here." Alice finished as she sat down at the table. Hermione took a seat acrossed from Lily and next to Marlene.

"Lily, do you mind showing me to my classes?" Hermione asked as she poured herself some pumpkin juice.

"Of course, have you got your schedule?" Lily asked as she tucked a piece of dark red hair behind her ear. Lily's eyes quickly darted down the table and she adjusted her hair once more. Hermione handed her class timetable to Lily and then followed her  
gaze down the table.

Sitting at the other end of the table were four boys. Four boys Hermione knew all too well. Sirius was leaning into the boy sitting next to him; Sirius held up the daily profit and from what Hermione could tell, he was mocking an article that caused the  
other boys to burst out into fits of laughter. Sirius's blue eyes were full of life; something that the older Sirius' lacked. Hermione's eyes then went to the boy Sirius was leaning onto.

Hermione instantly knew this was Harry's father. They had the same smile, same crazy hair, their noses were identical, and everything except their eyes was the same. Hermione smiled softly at the boy. Her heart ached. She missed Harry, she missed Ron,  
and she would never see either of them again.

Hermione forced herself to look away from James. She glanced at Peter again, who was definitely laughing the hardest at whatever Sirius was saying. He smacked his fist against the table and juice spurted out of his mouth. Peter began laughing so hard,  
the boy sitting next to him had to smack his hand on his back to stop him from choking.

The boy next to him. It was Remus, which was obvious enough. Young Remus was tall and thin and his face wasn't covered in as many scars as it was in the future. His skin was still pale and sickly looking and he had dark circles under his pale blue eyes.  
Everything about him was pale, from his hair to eyes. He was smiling though, something Hermione hadn't seen enough in the future. He was laughing hard at Peter's accident. Hermione smiled to herself to see him so happy. She knew he definitely had  
deep insecurities due to his lycanthropy; it was nice to see him act like a regular teenage boy.

His smile faded quickly as he made eye contact with Hermione. The two held eyes for a moment and something deep within Hermione stirred. The spot where her scar started on her shoulder began to tingle and it shot down into her elbow, and then it quickly  
spread throughout her whole body. Hermione's eyes got wide as she clutched her shoulder and held eye contact with Remus. His eyes went wide too as he stared at the girl. Hermione was brought out of her trance as Lily explained to her the class schedule.  
Hermione politely nodded and excused herself to the bathroom.

"Hermione! Do you even know where the bathrooms are?" Marlene called from the table. Hermione spun around quickly and shrugged.

"I'll figure it out; I'll meet you guys in Potions." Hermione called back to her as she scurried out of the Great Hall.

Hermione wasn't headed to the bathrooms though, she ran straight to the library.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus watched as the bushy hair girl left the Great Hall. He had the urge to follow after to her and question what had just happened, but he didn't know her and it would definitely cause a scene.

"Ah, that's Hermione, she's a transfer, was homeschooled," Peter said as he noticed Remus' eyes following the girl out. Remus nodded.

"Homeschooled…That's odd." Remus mused as he returned to eating his breakfast, the odd feeling throughout his body yet to leave him. Sirius glanced over his newspaper at the other two, clearly annoyed they stopped listening to his antics.

"Moony have a crush?" Sirius lifted an eyebrow at his friend, a smirk forming on his face.

"Please Sirius. The girl is not my type." Remus shrugged. And if he were honest, he wasn't sure if she was his type. Remus had always had crushes on the girls in his year who were smart and kind. Remus didn't feel as if he had any room to judge on appearances,  
considering the fact that he looked like a animal one night a month. Lily Evan's held his heart for most of second and third year, but he would never tell James that. And a Hufflepuff by the name of Shireen Abbott had caught his eye last year.

The two girls were as different as they could be in looks. Whereas Lily was petite and slender with dark red hair that fell to her shoulders, Shireen was tall and willowy, with long dark black hair and sleepy eyes. The only thing the two girls had in  
common was their wits and there kindness.

"Good." Sirius' smile grew larger as he looked at the boys. "Because she seems to be a nice young lady, and I figured I'd give her shot." Remus' mouth dropped.

"She doesn't seem like your type Padfoot." James observed absentmindedly as he read an article in The Prophet. Sirius scoffed at that and cleared his throat.

"And what is my type _James_?" Sirius quirked an eyebrow.

"Easy." The other three boys said in unison, then burst out laughing. Once the laughter died down Sirius cleared his throat.

"She just seems mysterious, I dunno." Sirius shrugged. "Plus she's new, interesting, and something different. I talked to her briefly last night when I was testing out the maps newest features."

"Oi! Why didn't you tell us?" James looked briefly hurt. Sirius shrugged again

"She's not a toy Padfoot." Remus reminded him. Jealously was burning inside his stomach, and he wasn't sure why. The feeling made him sick. Sirius ignored the comment and quickly changed the subject to quidditch.

Remus felt relived at the change of topic. But no matter what the boys were talking about, he couldn't take his mind off of the strange new girl.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thanks SOOO much for reading! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave comments on what you think and if you like it or not.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Greetings Everyone! So I hope you all like this chapter. I'm still in the introducing phase of this story and it's a bit annoying I know. But here it is!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe. Anything you recognize is hers!**

 **Enjoy!**

Hermione entered the library in a frantic state. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had before. The girl knew that she had exactly a half an hour before her first potions lesson started and she was determined to spend that time figuring out what was going on with her scar. She knew Harry's scar hurt when he saw Voldemort, and that was a side effect of being a Horcrux of the dark wizard. Hermione shuttered at the thought. Almost immediately after what Dumbledore explained to Hermione about the Horcruxes, Hermione had figured that was what occurred on the night Harry's parents died. Dumbledore's explanation only confirmed her thoughts.

She was positive that the reason why her body felt strange was not because she suddenly became a Horcrux. That was impossible. But she was also positively clueless, something that Hermione did not particularly like. She sighed as she passed over a massive row of books that would be of no use to her. She briefly wondered if Remus knew what was happening to her. By the look in his eyes, she knew he had felt the odd tingling as well. Hermione even contemplating asking him about it, but in this time she didn't know him. Hermione frowned as she picked up a book about cursed scars and through it into her bag. She headed down a familiar row of book shelves, a row she had visited her third year at Hogwarts when she was suspicious of Professor Lupin being a werewolf. The selection was few and far between, but Hermione managed to settle on a book titled, _Monster Injuries_. She snorted at the title as she put it in her bag. While werewolves could be deadly and lethal, they were _not_ monsters.

After a few more moments of searching through the library, Hermione checked her watched and decided it was best to leave a bit early. She quickly headed out of the library and down towards the potions dungeon when she heard someone calling out to her from behind.

"Hermione is it?"

Hermione's head whipped around fast as she was face to face with Sirius Black. He was much closer than she felt necessary; his nose was almost touching hers. She sharply inhaled from surprise and could smell his hair, which smelled like fresh rain and grass. A scent Hermione was quite fond of.

"Yes." Hermione nodded at Sirius as she took a few steps back, then turned around and continued her way down the corridor. Sirius stared at her for a minute in appreciation, then skipped a bit and jogged to catch up to her.

"Sirius Orion Black. Pleasure to meet you." Sirius grinned down at her. Hermione noted that he grinned in a way that made it seem like he knew something that you obviously didn't.

"Pleasure," Hermione said shortly as she continued walking down the corridor. When Sirius opened his mouth again to speak Hermione quickly interrupted.

"Please, _Sirius_ , if you don't mind, I'm going to be late for my first lesson." Hermione snapped. She may have been in a different time, but old habits die hard. Hermione smiled curtly at him once more, then turned on her heal and walked away again. Sirius seemed nice enough, but a bit too persistent for her liking.

"Are you going to potions?" Sirius asked as he caught up to her. Hermione looked up at him and nodded her head. Why was he making it such a mission to talk to her? No one had bothered Hermione this much in her own time. Hermione started to think things really _were_ different in this time. And that thought worried her. She looked down at her shoes and cleared her throat.

Hermione snuck a glance at him and softly sighed. He was quite handsome; nearly a foot taller than her with broad muscular shoulders. His eyes were a bright blue and his hair was shiny and healthy. He was full of youth and happiness, such a thing that Hermione was not accustomed too.

"Yes, I have Potions in the morning, then after lunch, I have History of Magic." Hermione confirmed as she stalked ahead of him. She could tell he was trying to put "the moves" on her, as Ron would say. And Hermione was honestly freaked by it. Having your best friend's dead godfather hit on you wasn't something that normally occurred.

"Well, if you're in Potions with Slughorn, it's this way." Sirius smirked as he pointed with his thumb the opposite direction. Hermione's jaw dropped and she squinted at him, as if to see into his head.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked as she cautiously looked back in the direction she was headed. She was _positive_ that this was the right direction; she had walked down this corridor for nearly 6 years. Sirius chuckled at her and let out a sigh.

"Uh, kind of. Whoever gave you directions for Slugy's room must have been off their rocker, because it's this way." Sirius laughed as he held out an arm to her. Hermione nodded her head and grabbed his elbow, letting him lead the way. She wondered why and when Hogwarts had switched the potions room.

"So you're a transfer?" Sirius asked as the made there way in the correct direction.

"Yes," Hermione began her typical rendition of the story she had grown accustomed to telling. It felt odd, but it was getting easier to lie, something Hermione wasn't sure that she liked.

"My mother used to home school me. She was a wonderful witch. Brilliant in fact, but there was an accident and she passed. Now I'm here." Hermione lied. Sirius nodded his head as if considering what she had told him.

"I'm sorry about your mother by the way. Why didn't you attend Hogwarts to begin with? It's the, er, traditional route."

"My family isn't the traditional type." Hermione smiled at the thought.

"Lucky you, then. My family bleeds tradition," Sirius snorted. Hermione turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. She knew that he had grown up in an abusive pureblood home. She knew it had been awful and miserable enough for him to run away to James' house, but that was about the only extent to his story she was aware of. After a moment or two of silence Hermione spoke up.

"Are we almost there? My legs feel like they might fall off." Hermione complained.

"It's right here actually." Sirius laughed as they entered the door.

Hermione looked at him and they both burst out into hysterics as they entered the room. The classroom was full and quite, making it quite obvious that Hermione and Sirius' loud laughter had disrupted the class. She cringed in embarrassment as the whole class watched her walk in with the infamous Sirius Black. She was Hermione Granger. She was _never_ late. And she was absolutely _never_ late to class with a _boy_.

She tried to will the blush that was creeping up on her face away, but instead she felt something else in her face. The hot tingling she felt at breakfast was back and without looking, she knew Remus was sitting amongst the students in the room.

"Ah, Mr. Black. Glad you've decided to show up." Slughorn called from his desk. His face held a serious look, but his tone was boisterous and friendly.

"Sluggy! I am offended! I was showing my dear friend Hermione the way to class. How could I, a noble Black, not save a damsel in distress?" Sirius exclaimed as one of his hands shot up to his mouth, in mock horror. Hermione couldn't help but smirk. Sirius' antics reminded her of Fred and George. Two more people she would never see again. The laughter of the Gryffindor's in her class was enough to bring her back to reality.

"Enough, enough! Mr. Black. Sit down," Slughorn chuckled as he ushered the boy to sit down.

"And Miss Granger, pleasure to have you join my class." Slughorn said to her. Hermione smiled back. He was much like the man she knew in her own time. He didn't have a particular interest in her yet, but she had a feeling that would change when she had the opportunity to prove herself.

Hermione looked around the class in search of an empty seat. Seeing an open seat next to a frantically waving Lily, Hermione smiled at her and took off. As she passed by Remus' desk, she could almost feel her heart buzzing. She quickly chanced a look up at him and smiled. From what Hermione could tell, he was taken aback. His eyes grew wide and he blushed and quickly looked down at his parchment and pretended to write something down.

"Glad you found the way." Lily teased from next to her. Hermione slid further down into her seat, hoping to avoid the curious glances of her fellow Gryffindors and the glaring sneers of the Slytherins. By the time class ended Hermione had earned Gryffindor 30 points and had definitely proved herself amongst her classmates.

"We have an hour till lunch; want to go back to the common room?" Alice asked as she and Marlene caught up to Lily and Hermione.

"Yeah, then we can introduce you to the rest of the Gryffindors! You haven't had a lot of free time to meet them." Lily decided. Hermione was about to agree when she felt something shove her down.

"Oof!" Hermione gasped as her butt slammed down hard into the ground. Beside her, Lily drew her wand immediately and pointed it at her attacker. The boy standing in front of her was big; he was taller than Sirius, and almost double the width of him. He had a permanent scowl on his face and what Hermione would describe as no depth behind his eyes. He reminded Hermione of Crabbe and Goyle.

"Back off Mulciber!" Lily hissed as she took a menacing step towards him. Hermione glared up at the two. It amazed her that Lily would willingly stand up for Hermione in such a short period of knowing her. It reminded Hermione of something Harry would do.

"I'll back off when your little Gryffindor friend stops answering all the answer correct!" Mulciber spat. Hermione's eyes opened even wider. This is what he was upset about? It seemed so juvenile! Compared to everything Hermione was faced with in her past, she could almost laugh.

"Maybe you should worry about answering some right! You big prat!" Marlene retorted, slowly stepping in next to Lily.

"Mind your own!" A boy next to Mulciber spat at Marlene. She wasn't fazed, as she rolled her eyes and pointed her wand strongly at the boy's throat, a threatening glare never leaving her eyes. The tension was thick. No one said anything for a moment, and then Mulciber spoke.

"Bloody proud Gryffindors!" Mulciber growled as he leaned his head forward and spit down on Hermione. It happened fast after that.

"Oi!" a male voice from behind her screamed.

"HOW DARE YOU SPIT ON HER!"

A body jumped over Hermione and was thrown on top of Mulciber in front of her. Hermione was jerked up from behind and pulled back by someone as utter hell broke loose. Hermione was eerily calm as she watched her new friends defend her.

Sirius had Mulciber in headlock, and James was on his back. For some reason the boys chose the muggle way to fight, and it looked like they were winning. Hermione struggled to break free of whoever was holding her back and raced towards Sirius.

"Stop! Sirius Black, Stop!" Hermione shouted at him. "He's _so_ not worth it!"

The only person who seemed to hear her was Lily, who immediately put down her wand and nodded.

"James, get off him!" Lily commanded, her hands were now on her hips in a menacing way, the whole situation greatly reminded Hermione of how Mrs. Weasley scolded her sons.

James obeyed slowly as he hopped off of Mulciber and Sirius followed soon after. The boys glared at the two Slytherins for a moment, then sulked up to the Gryffindor common room. Remus and Peter quickly followed behind. Hermione had to guess that Remus was holding her back from the fight, while Peter avoided it all together. Once in the room everyone began screaming at once. Hermione found it difficult to make out sentences.

"Bloody slytherins!"

"I could kill Mulciber! I'll kill Avery too!"

"How DARE they!"

Hermione had heard enough and stood up in front of the yelling.

"Guys, Its fine. I'm fine. You are all FINE!" Hermione shouted above them. This entire disagreement started because of her and she quickly wanted it to end. The whole thing was embarrassing and childish.

"It's not fine. Not at all. They _spat on you._ " A voice Hermione hadn't heard speak yet, spoke. The rest of the common room went silent. Hermione was surprised to find out that it was Remus who spoke up.

"I've been treated worse believe it or not." Hermione retorted coldly.

She didn't believe anything Mulciber or Avery could do, would be worse than the years of torment she faced from Draco. She sighed and sat down on a couch.

"But thank you all for standing up for me. I don't even know some of you and you still did that. Thank you," Hermione was still dumbfounded that these people would have gotten hexed for her, it was oddly heartwarming.

"Oh, er right. Well I'm James Potter." The boy who looked almost identical to Harry stepped forward to give Hermione a handshake. Hermione smiled and thanked him again for attacking Mulciber, even if it was completely avoidable.

"That's Sirius, but I think you've already met him." James smirked as he motioned towards Sirius. Sirius gave Hermione a wink and Lily and Marlene laughed at that, both the girls raising their eyebrows to Hermione. Hermione inwardly groaned, figuring that later tonight she would have some explaining to do.

"And that's Peter, but you've met him. Oh and last but not least, Remus." James smirked as he shoved Remus forward in front of Hermione.

Young Remus was taller than she expected him to be. She knew that he was a bit lanky, but he towered over even Sirius. Although his shoulders were a lot less broad, he still looked strong, no doubt due to his lycanthropy. He was pale and the dark circles under his eyes seemed almost permanent. He had thin scars all over his face too, although not as noticeable as Hermione had originally thought. His hair was a light brownish blond, and his pale blue eyes danced over Hermione's face. The tingling in her body felt stronger than ever.

"Nice to meet you Remus," Hermione smiled at the boy, as she stuck out her hand. She did this on purpose, the last time she touched Remus a shock ran through her body, and now whenever they were near she felt something odd stirring inside of her. Maybe if she touched him again it would stop, or at least give her some answers. Remus's eyes were still a bit wide but he nodded and shook hands with Hermione.

The initial shock of the two touching was unpleasant at first, but after a moment, something about it felt warm and cozy. It felt like it belonged. It felt natural. Hermione realized that she was probably holding Remus' hand for an awkwardly amount of time and pulled back.

The group slowly assembled by the fire place and began to talk.

"Surprised Snivellus wasn't with them. Bloody git he is." James sneered. Sirius and Peter verbally agreed with the boy but Remus only nodded his head. There was an awkward pause and James suddenly looked wide eyed at Lily.

"Evans! I didn't mean to." James said quickly as Lily quickly looked away, obviously uncomfortable at the situation.

"It's fine Potter." Lily said shortly. "I'm off to the library," she turned to Alice, "Save me a seat in History of Magic, would you?" Alice nodded as she watched Lily disappear through the portrait. Hermione frowned as she watched Lily leave.

James let out a groan of frustration and threw himself back down onto the couch.

"Back to Potter now, huh?" Sirius teased as he ruffled a hand through James' hair. Peter and Remus snickered as James jabbed an elbow into Sirius' gut.

"Er, who's Snivellus?" Hermione dared to ask. She felt as though she was missing out on some very big detail.

"Only the greasiest git of all time." Sirius retorted, dodging another jab in the gut by James. Hermione raised an eyebrow in question.

" _Severus,_ and Lily used to very good friends. He was a Slytherin though, and he chose his Slytherin friends over her. It was an awful falling out. It was quite sad actually." Alice frowned as she retold the story.

 _Snape!_ Snape and Harry's moms were friends? Hermione's head was spinning. If they used to be friends, then got into a fight and had an awful falling out, that would explain why Snape showed such a great dislike to Harry.

"He called her you know what! It wasn't _sad_!" James snapped. Alice shrugged and turned towards Hermione again.

"She is still a little hurt by it."

"Oh, I won't mention it to her then." Hermione nodded as Alice smiled at her gratefully.

"So Hermione, you're pretty smart then huh? Smart enough to get the Slytherins worried." James smirked. Hermione blushed and looked down. Harry and Ron had _never_ made her blush this much. What was going on?!

"I like to read." Hermione shrugged as she began flipping through her books, eye contact right now would be too brutal.

"Remus likes to read!" Peter squeaked from his place on the ground. Hermione blushed again and glanced at Remus. Hermione didn't think it was possible, but Remus' face was redder than her own.

The rest of the day carried on as usual. Hermione had History of Magic with the Ravenclaws, and even managed to prove herself against them, clearly earning their respect. At dinner Hermione was introduced to Alice's longtime boyfriend, Frank Longbottom. She knew that this couple had to be Neville's parents.

Other than meeting a few other students, dinner was quite uneventful. That is until Hermione got a letter from a large black owl.

 _Miss Granger,_

 _Please meet me in my office tomorrow after dinner. We shall begin then._

 _Albus Dumbledore._

~Until Next Time~


	4. Chapter 4

**New Chapter! How do you guys like the story so far? Please review and tell me what you think! Seriously, reviews are life. Go do it right now, even if its just to say hello!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything. I own nothing.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione woke up the next morning before the other girls. She got dressed and walked down the stairs to the common room. When she realized that she had plenty of time before breakfast, she dug into her bag to find the book _Monster Injuries_. Hermione had decided that when she wasn't trying to prevent the war, she could research on her and Remus' scar situation. When she thought she felt the book, she pulled it out. But to her surprise, it wasn't _Monster Injuries,_ but one of her most favorite books.

 _A Tale of Two Cities._

Hermione grasped the book in front of her and held it tightly to her chest. She had forgotten she had this hidden deep within her bag. Her parents had given this to her after her thirteenth birthday. It had been one of her favorite gifts. Something about the way Charles Dickens wrote warmed Hermione's heart deep inside. It had been her father's favorite book growing up as well. Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back into the comfy leather couch. Hermione always felt that the Gryffindor common room was coziest in the early morning.

She missed her parents more than she thought she would. She usually spent most of the year away from them, but back in her own time, she always knew that they were okay and she wrote to them frequently. Hermione let out a sad sigh and curled up completely onto the couch, holding the book tightly, almost as if she grasped it hard enough, she could go back to her own time.

 _Stop thinking that way! You are here on a mission! To save lives! You are a Gryffindor! Act like one!_

Hermione knew she was being silly. She had chosen to come here. But how she wished she had Ron and Harry to comfort her. As a tear ran down her cheek, Hermione felt a familiar tingling in her body which made her eyes shoot open. Remus was standing in front of her, with a curious look on his face.

"Are you alright?" He timidly asked. Hermione wasn't quite prepared for how shy he was going to be. The Remus in her time was much more confident than this one, she noted. Hermione nodded and sat up.

"Just reminiscing," Hermione softly replied as she quickly wiped away any traces of her tears. She was Hermione. She was _strong._ Remus nodded then looked to the book.

" _A Tale of Two Cities_ ," Remus read. Hermione nodded and Remus reached out towards it.

"May I?" He politely asked. Hermione was hesitant at first, but reluctantly nodded, the book was one of the only few things that tied her to her old life. She carefully handed the book to Remus and to her great delight he handled the book with the care that many book lovers possess. He looked over the cover and then the back, and then slowly stroked the spine.

"Charles Dickens," Remus smiled softly. "He was a muggle?"

Hermione eagerly nodded."My father's favorite author. This book was a gift from my mother and him. It's the last thing I have of theirs." Hermione admitted. Remus flipped through the pages and an old picture fell out. Expecting it to be a photo of her family Hermione shrugged, but when Remus held it up closely he looked taken aback.

"Who are these boys? That one looks just like James!" Remus exclaimed as he held the picture up to Hermione's face. Hermione studied the picture. It had been one that they had taken at Christmas break with Hermione's muggle camera. Hermione was in the middle, with one arm around Harry and the other around Ron. They were in the middle of laughing and each of them was wearing one of Mrs. Weasley's iconic sweaters.

"I suppose he does. Kind of has an average face though, don't you think?" Hermione quickly lied. "They were very good friends of mine, from back home." Hermione said as she snatched the photo back and shoved it in her robes. Remus gave her a questioning look but didn't press. Instead he returned to her book.

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Remus read aloud. Hermione glanced down at the text in admiration, but Remus raised a doubtful eyebrow.

"Whats that look for?" Hermione questioned. She pretended to be hurt, but she couldn't fight the smile growing on her face. It was nice to talk to someone about something so simple.

"I don't understand. How can it be the best of times, _and_ the worst of times?" Remus asked. Hermione sent him a warning look.

"Not my fault you can't understand the wonderful works of Mr. Dickens, might I add, one of the _greatest_ authors of all time!" Hermione teased as she stole the book away again."Maybe when you mature you'll be able to figure it out!"

Remus blushed at her words and quickly looked away. Hermione wondered how long she would have to know him for him to stop blushing so easily. After a moment of silence Hermione decided to speak up.

"Remus, when I first looked at you, I felt this tingl-"

"Moony have you got the map?" Sirius' voice called from the top of the stairs. Hermione and Remus instantly spread to opposite sides of the couch and froze. It wasn't as though they were doing anything to be ashamed of; still, Hermione felt her face heat up. Sirius, who obviously noticed the awkwardness between the two, let out a dangerous grin.

"Have I interrupted something?" Sirius questioned as he looked down at the two. Hermione shook her head reverently while Remus continued to glare at Sirius.

"You wouldn't care if you had." Remus deadpanned. Sirius looked at him a moment longer, then let out a loud, barking, laughter. Sirius then leaned in close to Hermione.

"I'm glad I didn't interrupt anything, because that might make me jealous." Sirius purred into Hermione's ear, as he sat down in between her and Remus. Hermione could nearly feel Remus shake with jealousy. Hermione's face went bright scarlet and she stiffened up.

"There you are Hermione! We thought you disappeared on us!" Marlene called as she entered the common room, obviously taken back from the sight in front of her. Alice and Lily followed in behind her.

"Oh! Yes! Let's go to breakfast now! I'm absolutely starving!" Hermione jumped up to greet Marlene and the other girls. Remus and Sirius both looked hopelessly as she walked out of the room.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus helplessly watched as Hermione walked out of the room, only glancing once behind her, and Remus wasn't sure whether it was at him, or Sirius. Not knowing killed him. He didn't know why he had taken to the girl so easily. Maybe it was because he had felt a connection with her the moment he set eyes on her. She was brilliant; she had proved that much in their classes yesterday. He felt the urge to protect her, to never let her out of his sight. He almost growled as he saw Sirius flirt with her. He knew it was the wolf in him. The wolf had always been grossly possessive over his crushes. He hated that the most. Once Remus began to like someone or develop feelings, the wolf in him would make a claim. Remus hated that, it sickened him. But this was different, it felt stronger.

"Cute, isn't she." Sirius remarked after Hermione left. It took everything in Remus' power to not snap at Sirius, saying something he would regret.

"Yeah, she is." Said Remus. Sirius raised an eyebrow at him then smirked again.

"Look Remus, I see the way you look at her. I can back off." Said Sirius in a tone he didn't use very often. Remus smiled at him then pushed away the thought. Even if he did happen to have a crush on Hermione, he was a bloody werewolf! Even the best people sometimes don't accept Lycanthropy. It had been a miracle that James, Sirius, and Peter were all okay with it. No matter how much he liked the girl, he would never be good enough for her; it was just the plain and obvious truth.

"She's cute, Sirius. That's all. She's all yours." Remus said through his teeth. It physically pained him to give Sirius the go ahead. But Sirius was a good guy; he seemed to actually fancy Hermione. They would go nicely together. Perfect together in fact.

Sirius happily nodded then looked at Remus again, "You sure mate?"

"I'm sure, Sirius." Remus reassured him.

"Oi! Padfoot! I found the map! Under Peter's pile of robes, the dirty slob him!" James came bounding down the stairs.

"I didn't put it there!" Peter sighed again, sleep still apparent on his face. Sirius jumped up and grabbed the map.

"Thought we lost it for good this time," Sirius let out a sigh of release as he held the parchment up to his chest as if he were nursing a baby. James scowled at him and ripped it away.

"Would've been a shame, considering all the hard work, Moony and I put into it." James stuck out his tongue at Sirius, and Sirius jutted an elbow into his side.

"Can we go to Breakfast? I'm hungry." Peter whined. The other boys agreed and followed him down to the Great Hall. Once they were there they sat down quite a distance away from their female counterparts. It had only been ten minutes into breakfast when Hermione came bounding down the table and plopped down right next to Peter.

"Hello Peter." Hermione smiled brightly at him. Peter looked shocked but choked out a hello between bites of food.

"So, the girls were telling me that you were brilliant at History of Magic. You just have a knack for picking things up." Hermione began. Remus looked from Peter to Hermione to Hermione to Peter. He couldn't be reading into this wrong, was there something…there?

Peter seemed just as confused as Remus.

"They said that?" Peter asked clearly astonished, as he peered down the table at the other three girls, who were unaware at their current conversations. Peter wasn't awful at History of Magic. He was good in fact. But Lily and Remus were both better at it then Peter, why wouldn't Lily offer Hermione help.

"Of course." Hermione boasted as she politely smiled towards the other boys. Once she made eye contact with Remus, his heart fluttered. He could even hear her heart speed up as she glanced at Sirius. Remus paled in jealousy.

"Would you mind helping me out throughout the year? The subject itself isn't too bad. But Professor Binns is so boring! I don't know how you do it!" Hermione praised him. Peter suddenly sat up a little straighter and his eyes shined a little brighter.

"Well, I mean, if you really need the help, I guess I could find some time to help you." Peter casually shrugged. His demeanor completely changed. Hermione smiled brightly at him then gave him an awkward pat on the back then quickly got up and left.

"What. Was. That." Sirius said under his breath to Remus.

"I have no idea." Remus whispered back.

The first class of the day was Defense Against the Dark Arts. They had a new teacher this year by the name of Lee Bode.

"Hope this new bloke isn't a total flake," James remarked as they made their way to class. Sirius snorted and Remus frowned. Hogwarts had always had awful luck with teachers in this particular subject. Last year, the teacher by the name of Millicent Flint seemed to have a particular hatred towards Sirius. Sirius had always said that it was because she was jealous that he was prettier than her, but Remus had always thought it was because Sirius' ego was too big to completely fit into the classroom.

"Good Morning, good morning!" Professor Bode greeted everyone as they walked into the room.

Once they found their seats Remus truly stared at the man. He was pretty young, must have been fresh out of Hogwarts, although Remus couldn't place seeing him in school anytime he was there. After a moment or two of trying to remember his professor, Remus turned around in his seat, and began talking to James about upcoming quidditch tryouts. Suddenly, he felt his stomach tighten. He didn't have to look up to know that Hermione had just walked through the door. He slowly turned around in his seat so he could catch a glimpse of her walking past him.

"Hello Peter," Hermione said brightly. Peter smiled happily at her and then continued to smile off into space. Once Hermione walked by Remus she grasped his hand and then quickly dropped it. Remus was shocked by the initial touch, but then looked down in his hand and realized that she had given him a note. Remus blushed, and quickly looked around to make sure no one saw, especially Sirius. To Remus' relief, Sirius was completely in a debate with Marlene Mckinnon on why the Chudley Cannons, were better than the Holyhead Harpies.

Remus looked down at the note. It read.

 _Alice In Wonderland_

 _Anna Karenina_

 _The Catcher in the Rye_

 _A Tale of Two Cities_

Remus up again then looked back down and smiled. He looked around and found Hermione was staring at him with a goofy grin on her face. When Remus raised an eyebrow she mouth, "Read them."

"Settle down!" Professor Bode called out. The Slytherins and Gryffindors immediately quieted down.

"Our first lesson will be a practical one. Hands on, one might say." The Professor began. "We will be dueling."

Murmurs spread over the classroom eagerly. Last year, Professor Flint had them do a lot of theoretical work. While she taught them what they needed to know, it hadn't been a very active class. But Remus was still surprised that they were dueling on the first lesson.

"I'll pick your partners, so stop with that chatter." Professor Bode yelled once again and the class went silent.

"Black and Mulciber, you'll do." The Professor began naming off the dueling partners.

"Prewett and Evans," Professor Bode called. At this announcement Alice and Lily turned to each other and high fived. Remus noted that they were much happier with these arrangements than Sirius was.

"Potter and Lupin." The two boys shared a mischievous grin.

"Pettigrew and Avery, you'll be partners." Professor Bode called as he looked over the class. Remus expected Peter to shiver in fear; he wasn't the strongest dueler. But instead Peter sat up a bit taller, eyeing down Avery.

"Mckinnin and Higgins." Marlene raised an eyebrow at a small, kind looking Slytherin, who tightly smiled at Marlene. After the next couple of names were called off, Remus began to get anxious. He quickly did the calculations in his head and figured that the only people left were-

"Snape and Granger!" Professor Bode called from his position in the front of the class. Remus' jaw dropped, and he could feel Sirius tense up behind him.

"He's going to play some dark tricks, I know it." Peter hissed under his breath to Remus. Remus nodded and sat a bit higher so he could see Hermione's reaction. To his surprise she didn't seem fazed by this, almost amused. Even after what the group had told her about Snape yesterday. Remus' eyes shifted towards Snape who sat in the very back of the room by himself. He often did this since him and Lily had stopped being friends.

"Alright! Group together everyone!" Professor Bode called as he flicked his wand once, and the desks were suddenly sent to the sides, leaving the center of the room completely empty. Professor Bode flicked his wand again and cushions appeared on the floor beneath everyone.

"Brilliant," Remus whispered under his breath as he watched his new teacher rearrange the room. This was a great start to Remus' favorite class.

Once everyone separated they began with simple hexes. Lily performed a simple Stickfast Hex on Alice, without recognizing it, Alice tried to take a step forward, but fell hard, flat on her face. An apologetic Lily cringed and sprinted acrossed the room to help an embarrassed Alice up.

"The enemy will not be so keen to pick you back up, Miss Prewett." Professor Bode scolded the two girls. Lily looked from him to Alice then shrugged.

"Sorry Professor." Lily said in a quiet voice. Remus raised an eyebrow at the scene in front of him. Lily wasn't used to being scolded by teachers, in fact, she was usually praised. The two girls continued dueling and Remus turned back to James.

Remus and James fought back and forth for quite a while until Remus was able to distract James with a tickling hex and then disarmed him. James was still on the floor laughing when Remus decided to glance over his classmates. Marlene and her partner, whose name Remus thought was Dianne were of equal match. Both of the girls easily blocked each other's hexes and continued dueling.

Taking his eyes to the other side of the room, Remus saw a bitter Sirius throwing hex after hex at a losing Mulciber. Sirius was definitely taking revenge for what happened yesterday to Hermione. Remus smirked as Sirius sent a vicious Scalping Hex at Mulciber, whose hands shot up to run his hands through his greasy brown hair, but to his horror, found he was he was bald. Mulciber let out a growl and made a run for Sirius, but was quickly disarmed by a snickering Sirius.

"Nice work Black." Professor Bode commented as he passed by. Sirius' grin grew wider and Remus thought his head might explode.

Remus then shifted his attention to Peter, who was easily defeating Avery. Remus' jaw dropped in surprise as Peter tossed hex after hex at Avery, who was then finally disarmed. Something in Peter's demeanor was changed, he was more confident, a little less nervous, he seemed happier. Remus smiled to himself and wondered if it had anything to do with Hermione's compliments during breakfast. Thinking of Hermione, Remus turned his attention to her.

Hermione's face was scrunched up in a concentrating matter as she battled Snape. Both seemed to be getting very into it and were of equal match. Hermione dodged a Pepper Breath hex and threw another right back at him. The duel ended when Hermione was disarmed, to the surprise of Remus. Hermione had been defending herself quite easily; it was odd to see her lose a duel so simply. After the duel ended Hermione stalked up to Snape, said something, and then stuck out her hand. Snape's eyes questioned Hermione's motives, and then reluctantly shook her hand. Professor Bode's voice made Remus snap back to reality.

"Lovely lesson today," He cleared his throat again. "Many of you show great promise with dueling. Some of you however, don't seem to grasp it." He glanced quickly at Lily and then at Alice, who both blushed furiously.

"You have an essay due Friday that will be about correct form of dueling." Professor Bode smiled as several kids let out groans. "No worries, only about one foot of parchment shall do. You are dismissed." The students quickly filed out of the room

"How dare he!" Lily hissed under her breath to Alice. "I was being polite!"

"I'm sorry Lily; it was my fault, really!" Alice cringed as Lily continued her rant.

Remus was walking next to James, Sirius and Peter, but after the hearing the retelling of Peter's duel for the third time, Remus looked behind him and noticed Hermione was walking alone. He quickly made up an excuse and fell back to walk with her.

"You let Severus win." Remus noted as they walked towards the common room. Hermione shot him a glare and shook her head.

"I didn't. He was quite exceptional, better than I thought he would be." Hermione firmly said. Remus shook his head.

"No, you were equal in the fight until you quit trying. I watched." Remus pressed.

"So what if I let him win? Wouldn't do me any good if I scalped a Slytherin would it?" Hermione raised an eyebrow and cocked her head towards Sirius.

"Did someone say scalping Slytherins?" Sirius overheard and replied loudly. Hermione let out an awkward chuckle and playfully shoved him. Remus' stomach tightened and he felt an ache in his stomach. He knew Hermione could feel it too and that she instantly regretted touching Sirius.

"Not when I'm around." She warned.

"Well, I'm in," James said as he fell back to walk with them as well.

"Me too!" Peter eagerly joined. Hermione laughed at the boys and they continued their way to the common room.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Dinner was almost done when Hermione reached into her pocket and pulled out Dumbledore's note. She had read it nearly five times, but she often reread things when she was anxious. Going back in time to prevent Peter Pettigrew from betraying his friends was one thing, but defeating horcruxes?! Hermione's head spun as she thought of it. Hermione knew that Tom Riddle's diary was a horcrux, but she also expected it to be the Malfoy Manor. Before she left, Dumbledore also told Hermione about the locket, and the ring he wore. Since they were fairly new or not even created yet, Hermione didn't have much to do. She could hide the objects, but then Voldemort would probably just pick something else to put his soul into. The idea of horcruxes sickened Hermione, splitting your soul in half was evil enough; but doing it more than once was completely horrendous.

When she arrived in his office, Dumbledore was happily reading a book by his large fire place.

"Headmaster," Hermione politely called from the doorway, not wanting to intrude.

"Welcome, Miss Granger." Dumbledore smiled down at her, as he set his book aside. "It's time for our first meeting." Hermione eagerly nodded and waited for him to continue, she had no idea what he would want to start first.

"Tea?" Dumbledore politely asked. Hermione shook her head no, and Dumbledore flicked his want and a tea cup that was on a shelf flew over and gently landed in front of him.

"Perhaps, you should tell me, who here at Hogwarts, should I be keeping a close eye on." Dumbledore pondered as took a sip of his tea.

"Death Eaters you mean. Future Death Eaters." Hermione spoke. Dumbledore looked at the girl once more, and then nodded his head.

"Well, Mulciber and Avery for sure. Theodore Nott too, although I'm not sure how old he is. Bellatrix Lestrange, and Lucius Malfoy also." Hermione told him. Dumbledore merely nodded his head. "Keep an eye on Regulus Black as well. He's younger than me, but the path he follows isn't a good one." Hermione noted, thinking of the locket Dumbledore told her about. "Also, Peter Pettigrew." Dumbledore inhaled sharply at this.

"Potter's friend Pettigrew?"

"Yes, I think I have that case under control for the most part, but, beware." Hermione warned her headmaster. Dumbledore nodded and with a swish of his wand, the names appeared on a piece of parchment next to him.

"Miss Granger, I take it you are making friends here?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled down at Hermione. The bushy haired girl nodded her head and a small smile appeared on her face. While they weren't Harry and Ron, her new friends, Lily, Remus, Sirius, James, Marlene, Alice and even Peter were all people Hermione was beginning to trust.

"Very well. I do advise you to keep your secret a, well, a secret. If word of your condition fell into the wrong hands, the results could be disastrous." Dumbledore advised and Hermione immediately nodded in agreement.

"That shall be all for this meeting, Hermione." Dumbledore concluded. Hermione thanked him for his time and made her way out the door when she stopped and turned to him.

"Professor," Hermione began.

"Yes Miss Granger?" Dumbledore's bright blue eyes looked up at her from his position in his seat.

"Do you happen to know anything about werewolf scars? There was an incident before I came to this time, and things haven't been quite normal for me since. I was wondering if you knew anything about them." Hermione gulped. She hadn't planned to tell anyone about her scar, but after being interrupted with Remus this morning, Hermione had wanted answers. Dumbledore pondered at this for a moment then spoke.

"Perhaps Miss Granger, this is a topic for another time."

"Yes Sir, of course." Hermione politely said as she headed for the door again.

"Oh and Miss Granger," Dumbledore called again. Hermione whipped her head around to listen.

"Do try and remember your mission." Dumbledore smiled at her, and then bid her a goodnight.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you guys liked it! Please review! Thanks so much for reading you guys are the best!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Greeting Everyone! So a new chapter. Initially I had something else completely different typed up, but I took a step back and realized I was going to fast with the story. I want to make it realistic in the relationships department.**

 **Also PLEASE leave reviews, they make me so happy. And I want to thank everyone who has reviewed already. I actually squealed with delight when I read them. You guys make doing this worth it.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Since Hermione had a free period, she left her friends in the Great Hall to head to the library. She figured that she had until lunch to begin to sort out the scar situation, with or without Dumbledore's help. She stalked into the library with a mission on her mind. Hermione chose a spot in the corner of the library that she often sported in her own time. She set down all of her books and picked up a few more including, _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Wanderings with Werewolves,_ and even to her great distaste, _Hunting Werewolves._ She had briefly read them in her third year, after Snape had assigned her an essay on the topic.

As she read through the books, she let out a disgusted sigh. Most of the stuff she was reading was utter nonsense. Completely absorbed in the book Hermione didn't even notice that Remus had walked up to her table.

"It was the worst of times, and it was the best of times," Remus mock quoted, as he pulled up a seat next to Hermione. The bushy hair girl looked up and smiled and then let out a small laugh.

"Figure it out yet?" Hermione challenged. Remus looked taken aback then raised an eyebrow.

"No, Miss Granger, I haven't." Remus retorted. The way he called her _Miss Granger_ reminded Hermione so much of her old professor, the thought freaked her out.

"Pitty."

"Well Miss Granger, what are you reading today?" Remus teased as he reached out for the book. Hermione tried to stop him from picking up the book that was currently open in front of her, but he easily avoided her hand and lifted it up. Just her luck, it had happened to be _Hunting Werewolves._

Remus cleared his throat as he looked over the title, his smile fading as he read the cover.

" _Hunting Werewolves_ …" Remus trailed off. Hermione's eyes went wide as she shot up to retrieve the book. She ripped it from his hands and shoved it towards the opposite end of the table, and then quickly looked back at Remus to see his reaction. He was staring at her with a sad smile, but cleared his throat and stood up.

"Remus I- It's just a stupid book. It doesn't mean anything. Please, I think its absolute nonsense." Hermione began as she stood up and made to grab his arm, to stop him from leaving without an explanation. But before she could reach him, a voice interrupted the two.

" _Hunting Werewolves_? Granger you seem to have wonderful taste in books," A familiar voice sneered from behind her. Hermione groaned and turned to find a younger Severus Snape holding up the book, and smiling at the both of them. His smile wasn't sincere though, it was the smile of one who was filled with anger and jealously.

"Shut it Snape," Hermione hissed at the dark haired boy. She had only talked to him a bit when they were partnered for dueling, and even then she had politely introduced herself and that had basically been the extent of their introduction. She didn't initially want their first full conversation to be a fight, but this was so completely wrong.

"Why? Did I offend someone?" Severus mocked innocencently. Hermione glared at the boy, and then turned around to apologize to Remus. She wasn't sure how she would, considering he didn't know that she knew he was a werewolf, but was willing to do anything to make it up to him.

"I have to meet James," Remus awkwardly explained, as he backed up. "See you later Hermione." Remus lifted an arm up in an awkward wave then turned and quickly left the library, not even bothering to look back.

" _Why would you do that?!"_ Hermione seethed as she made her way towards Severus, who suddenly paled.

"I don't know why he was so shaken, he seemed a bit odd to me. Maybe even a bit suspicious." Snape glowered. Hermione took a deep breath and revaluated the situation. She desperately wanted to call Snape out on his rudeness, how dare he taunt Remus' lycanthropy! But on the other hand, Snape didn't know Hermione knew about Remus either, so she had to play dumb for the sake of her mission. She looked at Severus once more.

"You awful, awful, bitter boy!" Hermione scolded him as she began to pack her bag.

"You're new here, correct?" He casually asked. Hermione looked up at him and quickly nodded her head. What more did he want?

"Maybe you shouldn't hang around _that_ crowd," Severus warned. Hermione squinted her eyes at him and then laughed.

"Yes, Severus, I should hang out with you and your friends." Hermione mocked. "I hear they _love_ muggleborns like me." Hermione snapped.

"Muggleborn? I thought your mom taught you at home?" Severus questioned. Hermione's eyes widened. She had slipped up! She had been so careful these last few days and it all went to hell! She didn't remember specifically telling Snape about her fake home life, which seemed odd, but she shrugged it off nonetheless.

"I, er, my dad was a muggle." Hermione quickly lied, hoping Snape didn't look too much into Hermione's pause.

"My dad was a muggle too," Severus softly replied. Hermione turned to him and raised an eyebrow, this was news to her.

"Severus, I don't want to be your enemy, but the way you just treated Remus was awful." Hermione decided. Snape listened to the words carefully then looked at Hermione.

"I only just teased about werewolf hunting; you shouldn't look too much into it." Snape sneered. Hermione pursed her lips.

"Lycanthropy shouldn't be something to tease about! It's a serious disease that affects hundreds of people!"

"It's disgusting!" Snape sneered. Hermione's face turned red with anger, her hand dove into her robe pocket and grasped her wand. One small hex wouldn't be too bad…

"Is something happening here?" A familiar voice ringed out from behind Hermione. The girl turned and to her relief Sirius was leaning on a bookshelf, with his head slightly tilted.

"No." Hermione breathed as she picked up her bag and stalked past Sirius. Sirius stayed a moment longer, glaring back at Snape, until turning away and running to catch up to her. They walked together for a moment in silence and then Hermione spoke up.

"I can see why everyone dislikes him so much," Hermione noted. Sirius turned to her then let out a laugh.

"Took you long enough, people usually find out how big of a git he is within the first minute of meeting him." Sirius chuckled, "Although, it did take Lily years, and she's usually quite bright." Hermione scoffed again and continued muttering angrily.

"What has he done now?" Sirius asked the obvious question. Hermione didn't know how to put her feelings into words, but felt the need to lay it all out.

"He was making, awful comments about Lycanthropy!" Hermione spat, not even thinking of what she was saying. "He even went on to call it disgusting! How dare he!" Hermione's anger seemed to take over her brain, and she wasn't holding anything back. Sirius turned to her with his eyes wide.

"And why should he, er, why do you care if he thinks lycanthropy is disgusting?" Sirius carefully worded his question; Hermione could tell he was testing her.

" _Because,_ someone who suffers from lycanthropy is still a person, they have feelings and rights just like everyone else. Some people are just so evil that they try and dehumanize anyone that's a bit different, _that's_ disgusting." Hermione spat out. After a moment of silence Hermione looked up at Sirius, whose jaw was dropped and was looking back down at her with great admiration.

"You, Hermione, are a wonderful person." Sirius exclaimed as they made their way down an empty corridor. Hermione let out a light laugh then turned back to Sirius.

"Thank you Sirius," Hermione smiled, as the pair continued their way down the corridor.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

 _Hunting Werewolves?!_

Remus thought to himself as he stalked down an empty corridor. Did she hate them more than the next guy? He let out a groan, and slammed his fist into the side of the castle. He thought that one had probably attacked her uncle or something and now she was a sworn werewolf hunter whose main ambition in life was to kill every werewolf she came acrossed. Just his luck. Remus shuttered and shook his head. He _did_ deserve this. He was a monster, he deserved to be hunted.

Remus made his way to the common room, searching for James. He usually came to James for his problems. Not that Sirius or Peter were bad with advice, but James always just felt more understanding. And if Remus needed anything right now, it was some understanding.

"Moony, you look paler than usual." James observed from his bed. He was currently reading, _Quidditch Weekly_ a magazine he was subscribed too and read quite religiously. Remus looked around then room, making sure it was empty then shook his head.

"Full moons not for another two weeks, right?" James checked. Remus nodded.

"It's not that, or well, it is that." Remus sighed.

"I'm not sure I'm following you, Moony."

"I went to the library, to study, and I saw Hermione off doing a bit of reading. I went to go say hello and guess what book she was reading!" Remus nearly shouted, then continued, giving James no time to guess. "She was reading up on how to kill a werewolf!"

"Why would Hermione need to know that?" James questioned.

"I don't know, perhaps she had a bad experience with one?" Remus scoffed. James smiled at him apathetically.

"You shouldn't have to deal with this Moony, I'm sorry." James sympathized. Remus nodded. It had happened a lot throughout his years at Hogwarts. His classmates would say something completely ignorant about werewolves and Remus would get upset for a few days. He was used to it, but it didn't make it any less painful.

"It's okay. She just seemed different, I don't know. I don't blame her, I really don't." Remus explained. Remus leaned his head against James shoulder, something he often did when upset, and closed his eyes. They sat like that for a moment until they heard the door swing open. Sirius walked in, smiling as usual and looked down at Remus.

"Whoa, Moony, are you alright? You look kind of down." Sirius asked as he inspected his friend. Remus shrugged and turned to James, silently begging him to explain.

"Remus found out that the new girl Hermione is a werewolf hunter." James explained.

"Why do you think that?" Sirius asked as he sat down on the bed. James looked from Sirius to Remus, then sighed.

"Because Moony went into the library and saw her reading up on how to hunt werewolves." James explained to Sirius.

" _Hunting Werewolves_ , to be exact." Remus added with a shake of the head. Sirius stared at the two boys then stood up, shaking his head back and forth.

"Moony, you majorly misunderstood." Sirius explained as he paced around the room. He eventually sat down on the bed again next to Remus.

"No I didn't, she was reading the book, _Hunting Werewolves._ " Remus deadpanned. Sirius shook his head.

"Snape was there?" He questioned Remus. When Remus nodded his head he continued.

"Yeah, I walked in on Snape and Hermione arguing about lycanthropy. Hermione was seriously pissed and stomped out of the library. When I went after her to see what was wrong, she went on the bloody long rant about how people with lycanthropy are people too, how they've got emotions and rights and blahblahblah. She's probably a werewolf activist now that I think about it." Sirius explained. Remus' face lit up then fell once more.

"Then why was she reading a book on how to hunt werewolves?" Remus asked. Sirius considered this question for a moment then shrugged.

"I dunno mate, but I swear, when I questioned her on it, she looked like she was going to bite my head off if I said anything about bad about it," said Sirius.

Remus nodded once more, maybe he had rushed to conclusions, but it still made him panicky that he had left her alone with Snape. Severus knew about his condition, he would be delighted to hint at it given the chance.

"Did she seem like she knew about me?" Remus had to ask. Sirius shook his head.

"Not at all, and even if she found out, I doubt you have anything to worry about. She's great." Sirius said confidently. James let out a loud laugh and turned to Sirius.

"You hardly know her," he teased.

"I know enough!" Sirius shot back.

The next few weeks went by without incident. Remus had struggled to shorten his essay in DADA to only one foot, but had succeeded when he took out a few filler sentences. Hermione had been extra kind to him as well, even offering to let him borrow _Alice in Wonderland_. Remus wondered if she secretly knew about his condition, but pushed the thought to the back of his mind, how would she of known, he hadn't even been through a full moon here at Hogwarts.

Remus also noticed that she preferred to be by herself than with the other girls. Not that they didn't get along, Remus actually thought they all got along great, she just seemed to drift by herself more often than not. Remus understood the feeling. He didn't even have friends till he was eleven. One would think that growing up so secluded would be detrimental to his social skills, and to an extent it was. In Remus' first year, he had been painfully shy, only saying hardly a sentence for the first three days he arrived at Hogwarts. Part of him was so terrified that if he did speak, he might somehow blurt out that he was a werewolf and get kicked out of Hogwarts, something he wasn't willing to risk. But after James, Peter, and Sirius had become his friends, Remus slowly fell into his own. He had become more confident (although not much), and his friends admired his witty sense of humor. Sirius often said that his favorite thing about Remus was how sarcastic he was.

The groups of six year Gryffindor's all got to know Hermione better, and were quickly accepting her as one of their own. The group of them often stayed up late in the common room by the fire place sharing stories and remembering there earlier years in Hogwarts. Another thing that Remus had noticed was James and Lily's behavior. James would still casually hex a second year for his amusement, but had quit doing it so regularly. And Lily had loosened a bit up too, not that she was uptight to begin with, she often pulled pranks with her own group of friends, however Remus noticed that Lily would give fewer detentions when they would make their rounds around the castle as prefects. Remus also noticed the tension between the two; they would often catch one another staring and would burst into laughter; quite odd behavior for two people who were once so different.

The boys had their first prank of the year as well, and the victims happened to be there fellow Gryffindors. After Marlene had discussed with the group her great distaste of Pumpkin flavored anything, and admitted that the mere smell of pumpkin was enough to make her vomit, Sirius had gotten an idea. While the girls were at the great hall for dinner, Sirius and James had requested that the house elves make an extravagant buffet of pumpkin flavored everything be sent to the girl's dorm. Once the girls retreated back from dinner they all shrieked in surprise. From the common room, Remus could hear Marlene gag and vomit and the other girl's protests of disgust. This sent the boys into hysterics. Once the girls reappeared in the common room, they glared up at the boys for a moment. Remus was almost afraid that they were going to start throwing hexes, until Marlene began to laugh. The rest of the group followed her lead and broke into hysterics, and the rest of the night was spent sitting in the common room with friends, eating a variety of the left over pumpkin flavored treats.

One particular night while studying with Hermione, Remus had brought up Hogsmeade.

"It's a lot of fun," Remus gushed to her. "There's this place called Zonko's that is absolutely brilliant. But my favorite store would have to be Honeydukes; it's a candy store and they sell the best chocolate _ever._ " Hermione giggled at Remus' excitement.

"Sounds fantastic," Hermione smiled brightly.

"Do you want to go with me?" Remus blurted out. That had been exactly what he had wanted to ask, but he was never actually planning to ask it. He had known that Sirius and Hermione had been growing closer over the past few weeks, but Remus still felt the tingling feeling in his stomach and knew Hermione could too. He just didn't know why they were avoiding the conversation. His face paled instantly as he waited for Hermione's rejection.

"Sirius already asked me," Hermione softly replied, looking away awkwardly. "Sorry Remus." Remus nodded his head and looked down at his book. After a moment or two Remus broke the silence.

"Are you and Sirius, er, together?"

Hermione's eyes got large and she shook her head, "Merlin no! We're just friends. He's a good friend." Remus perked up immediately.

 _Just Friends!_

 _Jus Friends!_

The wolf in him cried out with happiness. For once, Remus agreed with the wolf.

"Oh, sorry, it's just the other guys and I just figured…" Remus trailed off, trying to hide his excitement. Hermione shook her head and laughed.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Remus' question had come unexpectedly. While Sirius and Hermione were hanging out with each other a bit more, it had been nothing else. Or at least Hermione didn't think so. She figured that after a week of heavy flirting, Sirius had given up on her, but apparently he had not. She nodded as Remus continued telling her of all the places in Hogsmeade. Of course Hermione had been to all these places before; it was interesting to hear it from someone else's perspective. As Remus explained about all the amazing candy that were at Honeydukes Hermione found herself sadly smiling.

"You sound just like Ron," She absently said as she proofread her essay.

"Ron? Who's Ron?" Remus questioned. Hermione cursed herself for speaking so irresponsibly.

"He was an old friend." Hermione explained, not completely lying. "I actually really miss him."

"Was he your, er, boyfriend?" Remus pushed. Hermione lifted an eyebrow and let out a sad laugh.

"No, not really. I always fancied him a bit though; I thought he fancied me too for a while there." Hermione replied. Remus listened intently then replied.

"What happened to him?"

"He's gone."

"I'm sorry, Hermione." Remus said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer. Hermione leaned in towards him, surprised by their closeness. But when they were touching, the anxious tingling feeling inside her was gone. It was replaced by pure calmness. She leaned into him for what felt like ages, not wanting to leave the embrace of her friend.

~Until Next Time~

 **In this chapter I really wanted to make it apparent that Hermione doesn't have any romantic feelings towards Remus yet. Their friends. Just friends so far. She feels this connection with him, but is unsure of what it is. I will probably explore a little Sirmione in this story as well. I really like the contrast of those too! Also, how'd you like Severus? I'm honestly still debating on whether I want him to be a good guy or bad guy. As for his actions in this chapter, he's still salty about 'The Prank.' But I think in the future him and Hermione will bond. Or maybe they won't….MUAHAHA!**

 **Anyways thanks so much for reading, you guys are amazing!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Greetings Everyone! You know the drill, new chapter, hope y'all like it. Please leave a review, they always help loads.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hogsmeade weekend was coming up fast and Hermione's excitement was growing. She was eager to see what the small village looked like nearly twenty years in the past, and the idea of going with Sirius was appealing to her. They had a lot of fun together, which was clear. Sirius knew how to make Hermione laugh, which happened to be something that was becoming a bit harder for her these days.

Hermione so desperately wanted to talk to Ron and Harry. She wanted to give Ginny a hug, or help Mrs. Weasley with dinner. Hermione would give anything to scold Fred and George about their stupid inventions. She missed her world, and the worst part was, she couldn't even tell her new friends about her troubles.

When Hogsmeade finally came around Hermione was nearly bouncing off the walls, eager to get out and explore.

"Someone's excited." Sirius teased as he watched Hermione eagerly shift from one foot to another.

"Oh you know, new places to explore," Hermione smiled up at him. Sirius glanced down and laughed again, wrapping an arm around her in a friendly fashion. Hermione stiffened under this sudden embrace, but then easily relaxed. Sirius made her feel safe.

"We definitely need to go to Zonko's, the rest of the boys will probably meet us there," Sirius noted, "We like to do our shopping there together, for obvious reasons." Sirius winked at Hermione, who rolled her eyes. She knew he was talking about the Marauder's love for pranking. She had experienced that first hand when her entire dorm room was filled with pumpkin flavored everything. It had been horrible at first, Marlene vomited directly on her shoes, but with a flick of her wand she was cleaned up and okay.

"Very, obvious reasons," Hermione repeated back to him. Sirius nodded as they made their way to Hogsmeade. As they passed by the Shrieking Shack Hermione paused, if she had never seen that place before, she would probably want to know what it is.

"Whats that?" Hermione pointed to the shack. Sirius looked around then leaned close.

"That, my dear is the Shrieking Shack. The most haunted place in all of England." He said with a small smile. Hermione cocked an eyebrow.

"Seriously, it's super haunted, and the ghosts are not nearly as friendly as Headless Nick. Don't go there, like ever." When Hermione nervously agreed she'd never go near the place, Sirius looked relieved. Hermione new the shack wasn't actually haunted, the rumor started when Remus began school at Hogwarts. The screams from his transformations were easily rubbed off as lost and angry, spirits. This idea made the students stray from the old building, which helped keep Remus' secret.

"There's Honeydukes! I should pick up some chocolate frogs for Remus, they're his favorite." Sirius commented more to himself than to Hermione. Hermione agreed and followed him into the large candy store.

"Whoa," Hermione pretended to be amazed as Sirius grinned at her.

"Awesome, isn't it?" Sirius said as he stared at Hermione. The eye contact was a bit too long to be considered friendly, so Hermione quickly looked away. She blushed and pretended to be intrigued with a string that was a bit too long on her sweater. She still wasn't used to male attention, and she honestly felt quite awkward about it.

"Oh! Sugar Quills!" Hermione beamed as she ran to a shelf filled with a variety of flavors. "They're my favorite, you know." Hermione told Sirius, "just in case you wanted to get me a gift." Hermione jokingly said. Sirius laughed along with her, but Hermione could tell he was remembering this moment for future reference. Hermione was about to ask Sirius what his favorite candy was, when he stiffened next to her. She followed his gaze to another dark haired boy who was on the opposite side of the store, talking to Mulciber and Avery. She was about to ask what the problem was when Sirius grabbed her by her arm and dragged her out of the store and around the corner of a nearby building.

"Sirius! Let go!" Hermione yelped as he held onto her arms tight and steadied her in front of him. He peaked around the corner once more then dropped his hands.

"What was that for?!" Hermione scolded him as she rubbed her arms. Sirius looked embarrassed, but also a bit panicked. It was unusual to his normal cocky demeanor.

"That boy you saw, scheming with Mulciber and Avery, he's my brother Regulus." Sirius told her. Hermione nodded and lifted a hand up to his shoulder to comfort him.

"This is so fucked up," He whispered under his breath. Hermione nodded and waited for him to continue. He was in a sensitive state at the moment, and she didn't want to press him.

"He's younger than me, and in Slytherin. I think I've vaguely mentioned him before. He's not really something I talk about." Sirius explained.

"Sirius, it's alright if you don't want to talk about it." Hermione gently said.

"Did you see what they were doing?" He asked her, anger rising in his voice. He shook his head in disbelief. Hermione shook her head no.

"Mulciber was lifting his left arm up, and showing Regulus something. I'd bet twenty galleons it was the Dark Mark." Sirius told her. Hermione frowned; it didn't make sense to her that Voldemort would give them the Dark Mark at such a young age. But perhaps, that was how he came out ahead. Recruiting young. The thought made Hermione sick.

"The Dark Mark," Hermione repeated. Sirius nodded.

"Yeah, it's a kind of brand Voldemort gives his minions." Sirius spat. "You surely know of Voldemort, the dark wizard, the pureblood maniac?" Hermione nodded her head and Sirius continued. "He's probably going to try to brand Reg too. He's still mad at my family because of what I did."

"What happened Sirius?" Hermione asked. Sirius motioned for her to sit down on the ground and once they both did Sirius leaned against the alley wall and told her the story.

"Over the summer, I was sentenced to be branded with the dark mark. My mother told me it was the highest form of honor. I was starting to show my true colors, I think they wanted to do it so I had to stick with family. They knew I wanted out." Sirius began.

"I didn't want to do it though, I couldn't, I was never like that. All that pure blood mania seemed insane to me, it was awful. The filthy lies they were telling us. I didn't believe them, and I made sure Regulus didn't either." Sirius said a little proudly.

"When I started Hogwarts though, I was sorted into Gryffindor. Mother was bloody furious. The Black house was predominately Slytherin, and I was expected to be too. I think my mum took her anger out on Regulus though. She liked him more than me; don't get me wrong, he was always the favorite. But I loved him, we were best friends. I think she thought she could get to me by brainwashing him. She did too. It ruined things. Regulus began to believe the lies, and he also started hating me. It was all a lot of pent up tension until this summer though. One day, my mom came into my room, told me that I was to be branded with the dark mark and then left."

"What'd you do?"

"I tried to talk some sense into Regulus. I had wanted to run away for a while now, but that was the last straw. When Regulus wouldn't leave with me, we got into a fight. He was about to call my parents when I stunned him, then left." Sirius finished, just barely chocking out the last part.

Hermione didn't say anything; she just pulled him into a tight hug.

"I went to James'. His parents, they're great people. Let me live with them for the rest of the summer." Sirius told her when she let go. "I missed my brother, but he did it to himself. We were both raised the same way, and here I am, still not a Death Eater!" Sirius angrily said again.

"Do you think there is anything we could do to stop it?" Hermione asked him. Sirius shook his head.

"I'm not sure." Sirius sighed. Hermione gave him another large hug then got to her feet.

"C'mon, let's go cheer you up." She told him.

"And how are you going to do that?" Sirius' trademark smirk slowly returned to his face. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and lead the way to the Three Broomsticks.

"How'd you know about this place?" Sirius asked as the ducked in. Hermione shrugged.

"Remus wouldn't shut up about it. Speaking of Remus….Hey! Guys!" Hermione waved the hand that wasn't holding Sirius' arm at the three other boys.

"Padfoot finally decided to show up!" James yelled over the loud noise in the bar.

"Oi!" Sirius gasped. "Says the boy who is late to _everything_!"

James answered that with a rude hand gesture which Hermione noted that Sirius thankfully missed.

"Where have you gone to so far?" Peter asked from acrossed the table after he took a large gulp of his butterbeer and slammed it hard on the table.

"Honeydukes," Hermione replied. "But I think I'm going to check out the bookstore while you guys are all at Zonkos." Hermione paused looking around at the four of them. "Doing whatever, you four, er, do." She cringed, dreading the trouble they were going to get themselves in.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" Sirius asked as he took a swig of his butterbeer. Hermione nodded.

"Sirius, that's kind, but I like you too much to put you through that type of torture." Hermione teased. Sirius contemplated this answer for a moment, and then nodded his head in agreement.

"I wouldn't mind," Remus spoke up. The three boys gave him a disgusted look and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Remus, I don't think you have a choice in this decision." Hermione told him. Remus blushed as he took a drink of his own butterbeer.

"Hermione. Do you honestly think I have a chance with Lily Evans," James changed the subject abruptly, which surprised Hermione. She nodded her head and thought about it. Of course he'd have a chance with her! They were married in the future, and even had a child. Hermione also knew that Lily had been warming up to the idea of James. She had commented more than once in their dorm that he was 'actually, quite smart when he wanted to be,' and she even said once that 'if his head deflated a bit more, he'd almost be good company.'

"I think so James." Hermione smiled back at James, whose head perked up. "I think you'd have a better chance if you'd stop hexing the occasional underclassmen, but do what you will." James nodded then shrugged.

"I'll just have to be more careful about who sees my hexes." James finally answered. The three boys looked please with this answer while Hermione cringed.

"Or you could just, you know, not hex innocent children." Hermione said as she took a sip of someone's butterbeer.

"Hermione, you're too noble you wouldn't understand." James rambled on and Hermione snorted.

"Noble? I'm being a decent person-,"

"We better get going soon," Peter interrupted. "I promised Tara that I'd meet her at Madam Puddifoot's in an hour."

"Tara? Is that the Hufflepuff you've been seeing?" Hermione asked. Peter had mentioned a cute Hufflepuff who'd he'd been seeing for a little while, only a few days ago.

"Yeah, you guys should meet her. She's fantastic." Peter's smile grew just thinking about her. Hermione smiled as she took in Peter's happiness. She took most of the credit if she was being honest. She felt as though she raised his confidence enough to trust in his own abilities. He'd even grew confident enough to start talking to girls, something Hermione was positive didn't happen before.

"I'm happy for you Wormtail, I really am." James smiled as he slapped a hand on Peter's back. As they walked out of the bar Hermione turned to the boys.

"Hey," Hermione raised an eyebrow. "When am I going to learn about these nicknames? Peter's Wormtail, You're Prongs, Sirius is Padfoot, and Remus is Moony. What do they mean?" Hermione smirked looking at each of the boys individually.

"When you tell me what that Charles Dickens quote means, I'll explain the nicknames," challenged Remus. Hermione crossed her arms and frowned.

"Remus, just think about the quote! You're brilliant! It shouldn't be this difficult to figure out!"

"'It was the best of time, and it was the worst of times?' It's contradictive! A paradox! It cannot possibly be both!"

"Remus, if you just-"

"I'm going to stop you there, all this fighting is making my head ache," Sirius interrupted. "We are going into Zonkos. We'll meet you out front when we're done, okay?" Hermione nodded and waved goodbye to the boys.

She entered the bookstore and instantly felt at peace. Being around books always made her feel better, she wasn't sure if it was the familiarity or just the atmosphere that made her enjoy it so much, but she wasn't too concerned either way.

She skimmed around shelves in there for a while, before finding a book that could be of some use to her. _The Multiple Curses of Lycanthropy_. Hermione tucked it underneath her arm and made a dash for a small nook in the corner of the store, perfect for reading. She opened the first page and dug in. Nothing seemed to be of use to her until she came acrossed a paragraph on werewolf scars.

 _A werewolf can cause many different types of scars. Although the scar is visibly the same for all types of cursed scars, the intent of the scar is the most important factor._

Hermione took out her quill and viciously copied down the paragraph, it seemed like she was finally getting on to something. She continued to read.

 _A scar that is caused with intent to kill may have little to no side effects. Cravings and emotional unsteadiness are common side effects of scars that are caused with intent to kill._

Remus warned Hermione before she left that she might be moody during the full moon because of her scar, but he hadn't intended on killing her. It was accidental, she was sure of it.

 _The other, most common types of scars that are found on human victims is a claim scar. This scar is perpetuated by a werewolf to stake his claim on a human. Typically, this happens as a werewolf chooses their mates, and imprints on a lycanthropy-free wizard. The wolf will intentionally place a scar on the human, to show other werewolves their mate. This is usually seen in rural areas where mates are often sparse. A wolf would claim a human, so another couldn't take her. In ancient wolf packs, this was often done and was seen as normality, in more recent times however, it is rarely if ever, heard of._

This didn't seem to fit well either. She was sure that Remus scarred her on accident. He was trying to attack the grey wolf and she merely got in the way. It was a harmless accident. Maybe it was a debt scar, she read up on those in her fifth year. They occurred when a witch or wizard's life was saved, and they owed a debt to their savior. Maybe Hermione owed a debt of some sort to Remus? It didn't seem logical but Hermione read on regardless.

 _However, there have been some rare cases in which the Wizard with Lycanthropy was unaware that they had made a claim in another wizard. The curse causes an unbreakable bond between the two. Staking a claim in a witch or wizard is essentially claiming them as their own. Although wolves claim their mates, they also can claim members of their pack, but only if they are an alpha. Mates are often claimed by their Lycanthropic partner when mating._

 _Common side effects of this type of curse are separation anxiety and an odd feeling when one is near, yet not claimed intimately. Victims of this type of scar often say the feeling is almost a tingling. Once touching, or in an intimate embrace, the tingling sensation is immediately stopped, and calmness, comforting sensation takes over._

Hermione dropped the book suddenly. The symptoms the book described were nearly identical to those she was experiencing. In a panicked state, she quickly copied the paragraph down and tucked his piece of parchment into her pocket, making a mental note to go straight to Dumbledore with this information. Hermione contemplated a few things in her head. She definitely wasn't going to tell Remus about this information. She wasn't completely sure what it meant, and she definitely didn't want to drag someone else down into this mess, even if it kind of involved them too.

While she thought the injury Remus had inflicted on her had been on accident, she wasn't completely sure now. When she saw him in the hospital wing the next morning, he hadn't mentioned anything about the wound. She did recall him apologizing and he definitely explained the mood swings near the full moon, but he didn't mention anything about claiming her as a part of his 'pack.' Hermione gulped. Or his….'mate'. The thought freaked Hermione out. An older Remus would never do something like that. He had been a werewolf nearly his entire life, he would be experienced with that sort of thing. And if he had done something of the sort to her, she was almost positive he would have told her. Wouldn't he?

And what would become of her if she happened to be a part of Remus' pack… She wasn't even sure she understood what that meant. Was she even sure Remus was an alpha. Hermione thought back to her own time and couldn't recall and specific conversation that mentioned Remus' status in the werewolf community and Hermione understood why. Remus had always hated the other part of him. Even in her own time, she often heard him cursing, 'the wolf." She knew that he preferred separating himself from the wolf as much as possible.

She set the book to the side of her and began on the next one she had, which was titled, _The Cursed._ The book talked about numerous curses but also included tips on how to tell if an object is cursed, and had a small section towards the back that proved useless on cursed scars. Hermione groaned in frustration. The more she learned about her scar, the more confused she became. She decided that it would probably be a good idea to pack up and meet up with the boys when a voice stopped her.

"Hermione is it?" The voice asked. Hermione sighed impolitely; she was starting to get annoyed.

"Yeah," She smiled tightly as she continued to pack her bag, not even bothering to look up.

"You're new to Hogwarts, correct?"

"It's polite to introduce yourself you know." Hermione snapped as she fumbled with her bag zipper.

"Excuse me, I hope you'll forgive me, I've been quite rude. I'm Regulus Black."

~Until Next Time~

 **Sort of a cliff-hanger, I know. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, leave a review and let me know.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Greeting's Everyone!**

 **Not going to lie, this chapter was hard for me to write, not sure why. I hope you like it; things will get less angsty I promise.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter Universe!**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Regulus Black stood in front of Hermione with an all too familiar grin; he looked nearly identical to Sirius. He was standing there, waiting for her to apologize, Hermione thought. The Black family was pristine and noble, and to disrespect them was thought highly unacceptable. Hermione snickered at that.

"I would say it's a pleasure, but I don't like to lie." Hermione growled. Although he was Sirius's brother, she was certain he was a Death Eater. He was no better than Draco Malfoy.

Regulus tipped his head to the side in a similar fashion that Sirius always did and let out a tisking noise.

"Really Hermione, you don't like to lie?" Regulus restated. His eyebrow was cocked and he gave her a challenging look. All Hermione wanted to do was slap him, she was quite accustomed to physically hurting Slytherins, but his words made her choke.

"W-what do you mean by that?" Hermione sputtered out. She was growing nervous, how had he found out that she was from the future? She was so careful!

"I think you know. I've spent a long _time,_ watching you. I know more than you think, Hermione." Regulus darkly hissed at her. Hermione instinctly stepped backwards, bumping into nearby shelves. Had he intentionally emphasized the word time, or had that been a mere coincidence.

Hermione's breathe quickened and her heart raced. She knew that Regulus had been a Death Eater, Dumbledore had told her that much, if he had found out her secret, it would clearly be the end for her. She shuttered at the thought of what might become of her. The way Hermione saw it, Regulus could go two directions with this, one: Regulus could tell the Ministry of Magic and have Hermione arrested and sent to Azkaban for meddling with time, or he could directly tell Voldemort, who would have different intentions for her. Hermione didn't know which one she preferred.

"You know nothing," Hermione spat as she grabbed her bag and stormed passed him, before stopping and turning around. "I however do know something. I have eyes too, I see things as well. You're making a massive mistake." Hermione glanced down towards his left forearm. It probably wasn't the world's wisest remark, but Hermione felt resentment for him.

Regulus looked as if he was going to slap her, but then his demeanor changed, and he suddenly looked insecure, scared even. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. Hermione could tell by his actions that he at least somewhat agreed with her, even if it was just the smallest bit.

"How's my brother doing?" Regulus suddenly asked, his voiced sounded completely different, almost timid, and he was avoiding Hermione's eye contact.

"What?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Sirius, my brother, you seem quite close to him. How is he?"

"Why do you care?" Hermione said impatiently, he couldn't just threaten her, then go on and act all innocent. She looked at him and then sighed. He was still taller than her, but she could tell he was a great deal younger. What was he, a third year, fourth year maybe? He was still a kid, and he didn't choose to be raised by pure-blood supremacist, he was probably terrified. Sirius left the house, so now the Black family name was in his hands. But he had chosen to stay, Hermione thought. You choose to be good and bad, take Sirius for example, Hermione though to herself. He knew what the Black family was preaching was wrong, he knew it was disgusting and gross and awful. And he found a way out. Hermione knew that it hadn't been easy; he had almost started crying as he retold the story, but it was possible.

"He's my brother." Regulus looked into Hermione's eyes. Hermione held them for a moment then looked away and sighed.

"He's doing well."

Regulus nodded and then turned and walked away. Leaving Hermione in her own world of confusion.

"There you are!" Remus' voice brought Hermione to attention. She turned and saw the Marauders walking towards her, bags full of things from Zonkos.

"Find the book you were looking for?" James pondered.

"Uh, yeah. I've found it." Hermione said, staring directly at Remus, the similar tingling sensation running back to her.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus watched Hermione as they left the store, she seemed a bit odd. He could tell her heart was racing fast, and Remus wasn't sure why. Hermione laughed at something Sirius said and when he put her arm around her, she didn't stiffen. She happily leaned in and looked up at him like he was something extraordinary. Remus heart ached; he had wished she'd look at him like that.

He was happy just being her friend though. They had gotten a lot closer over the past few weeks. They had plenty of common interests that provided the basic necessities for a friendship. Remus remembered the conversation he had with Hermione a few days ago in the library. He had asked her what her relationship with Sirius was. She had explained that they were just friends and he was a good guy. Remus grunted at the fact that if he were to ask her now, she would surely have a different response.

"Let's go to Honeydukes!" James' told the group, minus Peter, as he was on his date with Tara. Remus caught the nervous glance between Sirius and Hermione but shrugged it off. He was desperate to pick up some more chocolate frogs, they were his favorite 'after moon treat' as Sirius liked to call it. The full moon would be here in a week, Remus observed as his senses were heightened. He felt like he could hear, and smell anything, which was why he was so reluctant to go into The Three Broomsticks, even though he absolutely adored the place. He could smell everything, and when he said everything he meant it. He could smell all the wonderful treats from Honeydukes, which had been a bit overwhelming. But he could also smell the piles of trash outside the Three Broomsticks. His hypersensitivity was a blessing and a curse, as James once said.

Once they visited the store and left with piles of candy that should last them well until the next Hogsmeade trip, they happily bounded back towards Hogwarts, thrilled about their day.

"Everything alright?" Remus asked softly to Hermione. Her heart rate sped up and she nodded her head and gave him a tight smile then moved to the other side of Sirius, away from him. Remus' stomach clenched and he took a deep breath and turned to ask James a question when he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

"DOWN!" He yelled as he put one hand on both James and Sirius and dragged them down. The four of them hit the ground hard as a curse was sent flying over their heads. It came from a small enclosure of trees, just on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Remus could smell the fear on his friends and quickly pulled his wand out of his robe, preparing to fight, but Hermione was the first to stand. She turned toward the direction of where the curse was fired and raised her wand and quickly shot a stunning spell in the direction.

"What the?" Sirius asked as another spell was shot back, but was blocked by Hermione. Remus cleared his head and looked around for the attacker.

"Having a girl fight your battles, eh Black?" a voice that Remus was familiar with sneered. A tall blonde boy, a few years older than the four teens walked out from behind the enclosure of trees. Sirius scoffed in recognition and Hermione took a small defensive step back, her eyes wide, in recognition. But that wasn't right, how could she possibly know who-

"Lucius." Sirius growled as he took a step forward, along with James, whom Remus could tell was holding onto his wand so tight, it looked like he might snap it. "Have you came here just to attack us, or will you be torturing innocent children as well?" Remus thought this was a bit hypocritical, considering James and Sirius found loads of enjoyment off of hexing underclassmen, but refused to say anything.

Three more figures walked out of the forest from behind Malfoy. Remus recognized them as recent graduates of Hogwarts, and probably Death Eaters, but couldn't place their names.

"Only those who deserve it, you know, like the filth you hang around." Lucius Malfoy said as he gestured towards the rest of the group.

It happened so quickly Remus was unable to tell who casted the first spell.

" _STUPEFY_!"

" _Reducto_!"

Remus lifted his wand high, and screamed, " _Expelliarmus!"_ at the man standing besides Malfoy. He easily deflected it and turned towards Remus.

"How _DARE_ you!" He let out an awful screech and raised his wand. Before he could send numerous killing curses in Remus' direction, he was hit with a stunner that instantly knocked him unconscious. Remus followed the direction of where it came from and saw Hermione standing tall and proud, but already on the offense again.

" _Stupefy!"_

Remus' senses perked up as he continued fighting alongside his friends. Lucius threw a nasty stunner at him, which was barely deflected. Remus gained the upper hand when Lucius was caught off hand by a stunner. Beside him, James cast a stunning spell at a tall man with thin, brown, hair and crazy eyes.

" _Protego_!"

" _Potter_ is it?" The man sneered as he deflected the stunner and took offense, "Tell your little blood traitor family I said hello," the man sneered as he sent a curse towards James. The boy with messy hair easily avoided it, and threw another curse at the man.

"Gladly!" James spat as he effectively cursed the Death Eater.

"Hello _cousin_!" A woman besides Malfoy cackled loudly. Remus recognized this to be Bellatrix Black, a Slytherin who graduated a couple years ago, and who was obviously part of the family Sirius despised.

Sirius and Bellatrix dueled next to Remus and Lucius, for what felt like hours of intense training, but it wasn't training, it was the real world, and this was a real fight. People died in these types of duels.

"Still up to your old sorts, eh?" Sirius taunted as he easily deflected one of her curses, "Come on, you'll have to do better than that!" He yelled out, in a like Sirius manner.

"STUPEFY! STUPEFY! REDUCTO!" Hermione cried out from behind them as she began to attack Bellatrix, completely disregarding the other Death Eater she was attacking. Hermione panted and gasped as she took over the fight for Sirius. She casted stunning spell after stunning spell at the woman, until Lucius interrupted them.

"Bellatrix! Today is not the day! Rosier, grab Macnair and apparate back to the manor! NOW!" Lucius screamed. Remus blinked and he was gone.

"COME BACK YOU FOUL WOMAN! YOU AWFUL WOMAN!" Hermione screamed as she dropped to the ground in frustration. She began to cry, a cry the Remus felt was more out of exhaustion than anything else.

James was the first to reach Hermione, and put an arm around her, followed by Remus. Sirius however was still standing in the spot he fought in, staring at the place where the Death Eaters once stood.

"I hate them." He spoke quietly enough that Remus might not have heard if he wasn't a werewolf. Remus looked down at Hermione who was relaxing at a considerable pace in his arms. Remus could feel her heart rate slow, and her breathing slowed down as well.

"Are you all alright?" Sirius turned around suddenly, slowly returning to his old self. The three of them nodded and James stood up.

"What do you think that was? Did we interrupt a bloody Death Eater meeting?!"

Sirius nodded his head, "Today, when Hermione and I were in Honeydukes for the first time, we saw Mulciber and Avery cornering Regulus. I saw Mulciber lift up his sleeve and I think he showed Regulus his Dark Mark." Sirius explained to the group. Remus shook his head.

"Do you really think, er, _he_ would mark someone so young? Mulciber is only our age." Remus questioned.

"He tried to mark me this summer." Sirius replied darkly. Remus quickly nodded and felt stupid.

"Sirius, I er, I saw Regulus in the book store." Hermione piped up. Sirius quickly turned to her and motioned for her to continue.

"He actually came up to me. He introduced himself and he asked about you." Hermione explained. Remus could tell from her heart rate that she was telling the truth, but not the whole truth. Something felt off.

"Why would he ask about me?" Sirius spat. "Why does he even care? Bloody Hell! This is all so fucked up!" Sirius shouted as he pounded a fist in a tree. Remus cringed but agreed, the entire situation was messed up.

"We need to tell Dumbledore." Hermione said at once, completely returned to her normal state. "It's the logical thing to do. We can all explain to him what happened, and then he will handle it."

Remus nodded, he agreed full heartily. Dumbledore should bloody well know if there is suspicious behavior happening so close to Hogwarts, especially if it could concern Voldemort himself. Remus doubted James and Sirius would agree though, they were too proud to admit to some things.

"I agree." Sirius stated as Remus jaw dropped in surprise.

"You _do?_ " James gasped.

"Yeah, I'd bloody well like to fix everything on my own. But that isn't going to happen." Sirius bitterly said.

The foursome walked slowly back to the castle.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

The fight with the Death Eaters exhausted Hermione, not only physically, but emotionally too. She didn't realize how emotionally challenging her trip to the future would be until she started befriending people who were dead in her time. Playing back the memories of the fight made Hermione cringe,

" _Come on, you can do better than that!"_

Those words were the exact words that had been his last. Those were the words he had taunted Bellatrix Lestrange with. It haunted her completely. It was like watching his death occur all over again and the thought of Sirius dying sickened her.

After the fight they had walked to the castle and explained to Dumbledore what happened. He was quiet the entire time the four of them were talking, only with small nods did he reply.

"I'm sorry you four were caught in such a predicament." Dumbledore said at once. _Sorry?_! _Sorry!?_ Hermione's face turned bright red as she tried to hold in her anger.

"Excuse me Professor, but being _sorry,_ won't protect us the next time someone tries to kill us!" Hermione hissed. She could feel the Remus and James stiffen beside her, but Sirius leaned over and grabbed her hand, squeezing it appreciatively.

"You're absolutely correct, Miss Granger. Please trust that I will be taking the necessary requirements in keeping you safe." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. Hermione quickly nodded and dropped her head.

"If that is all, then you are free to go." Dumbledore smiled at the four, who were ultimately a little less than pleased. "Miss Granger, perhaps you should stay back?" Dumbledore questioned.

Hermione nodded her head and stayed behind while the boys filed out.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore began.

"Sir, Mulciber has the Dark Mark, and Regulus Black will receive it as well if we don't stop it." Hermione interrupted.

"Thank you for that information," Dumbledore replied curtly.

"Regulus said something to me today Sir," Hermione stammered. "Is there any possible way that he could know about my, er, situation?" Hermione asked.

"The possibilities are highly unlikely." Dumbledore considered.

"Okay, I'm probably just being paranoid." Hermione explained.

"Miss Granger, have you thought about telling a friend about your situation?" Dumbledore told her.

"No," Hermione said immediately. She had told herself recently that she would come clean to her friends about her situation eventually, but not now. Not until things cooled down from after the fight.

"As you wish," Dumbledore smiled. "Many of the Death Eater's in the fight today, were many of the ones you mentioned." Dumbledore continued. Hermione nodded her head.

"Voldemort's army is growing." Hermione stated. "He's recruiting younger and younger. I think we should start. I know about the Order of the Phoenix, I think the other three boys and I proved ourselves to be useful members?" Dumbledore listened to her, nodding only once in a while.

"You need me to defeat Voldemort. I know the places he attacks; I know the dates he attacks. Please let me help win this war." Hermione pleaded.

"You don't think you are doing enough helping already?" Dumbledore asked, referring to the Horcrux hunting, which was moving along quite slowly, if at all, Hermione had only dedicated a few nights in the library to Horcrux hunting. Hermione shook her head.

"That could take years, I can do things now!" She reasoned. Dumbledore nodded.

"I agree, Hermione. I think that the Order could use your intelligence. Perhaps, in your free time, you could write out the dates and times of the attacks? Perhaps with even more information concerning Voldemort?" Dumbledore inquired.

Hermione nodded her head eagerly.

"Fantastic. Off you go to dinner, Hermione. Make sure your friends are alright." Dumbledore stated. Hermione said her goodbyes and left the room. It was only till she was half way to the Great Hall when she realized she completely forgot to mention the book selection she found on her scar. She debated turning around, but her stomach let out a loud gurgling noise, that urged her to continue on to dinner. Once she returned to the table, she was greeted like a celebrity.

"Hermione! I heard you took on four Death Eaters!" Marlene questioned as soon as Hermione sat down.

"With the help of James, Sirius, and Remus, I suppose." Hermione modestly said as she ate her potatoes.

"What happened!?" Lily exclaimed. After Hermione finished the story once more the three girls in front of her were silent.

"Wow, you must be quite the dueler," Alice marveled as Hermione took a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"I've had a lot of practice."

"How are people so awful?" Lily pondered; Hermione wondered if she was thinking about Snape, who surprisingly wasn't at Hogsmeade that day.

"I don't know. It was so horrible." Hermione sighed as she shook her head. The girls quickly got the hint that she wanted to be done talking about it and so they moved on to another topic. Hermione's eyes drifted down the table to where the Marauders sat. They were back to their rambunctious selves. Peter was talking in an animated way, jerking his hands everywhere as he told the story, the other boys around him were laughing and smiling.

When dinner was over the Gryffindor's headed to the common room. After a long day at Hogsmeade, nearly everyone was too tired to stay up late, with the exception of Hermione. She sat down on the floor by the fireplace, staring at the coals, slowly burning out.

"Need some company?" Sirius asked from behind her. Hermione nodded her head and scooted over to make enough room for Sirius to sit beside her.

"How are you?" Sirius asked once they were situated. Hermione shrugged.

"It messed me up, seeing my family hate me so much. You'd think I'd be used to it, you know. But I'm not, I don't know why. I hate them; I hate them all so much. It just sucks not having a family anymore. I consider Prongs and the lot my family, don't get me wrong, but to have all my blood hate me? To have my family consider me dead, it sucks." Sirius confessed.

"I know," Hermione comforted him as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Sometimes, I just feel so damn lonely. I've got you guys, but I just feel so alone." Sirius said in a whisper. Hermione nodded next to him.

"I'm alone too if you haven't forgotten Sirius, my family is gone too," Hermione reminded him. Sirius nodded his head urgently agreeing. They looked at each other for a moment, truly looked at each other.

Hermione slowly leaned into him, her eyes closed and she was greeted by Sirius' lips. The kiss had been much gentler than Hermione had imagined it would be. It was a sad kiss, a kiss that was shared out of absolute need. It took Hermione a moment to realize that the wet tears falling down her cheeks were not her own, but Sirius'.

~Until Next Time~

 **Sort of a sad ending, I know. But they are all going through a lot right now. I promise things will pick up! And for those asking, although it REALLY doesn't seem like it right now, it will be a Remione story!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Greetings Everyone!**

 **This is my longest chapter yet, and I hope you like it! A lot of stuff happens in it so go make yourself some tea, some snacks, get comfy and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything.**

 **Hermione's POV**

The next morning, Hermione woke up particularly early. She was still confused with the kiss she shared with Sirius the night before. She cared about him a lot, and he cared about her. But it didn't feel right lying to him; it didn't feel right lying to any of her friends. This kiss they had shared was so much different than any of her other kisses, not that she had kissed many people, only Viktor and a boy who lived back in her old muggle town when she was ten. Boys were never particularly high on her list of priorities, if they were even on the list at all. Hermione had just valued different things.

She debated whether or not to share the kiss with her dorm mates, maybe one of them could help her figure the situation out. Hermione had decided against it though, she felt it was too intimate of a moment to share, at least for now.

She liked Sirius, maybe even as more than a friend. Hermione thought that Sirius had felt the same way, but she wasn't sure. Maybe the kiss was a mistake; maybe they had kissed because emotions were running high. Hermione wasn't sure, but she also didn't really want to talk about it with Sirius, she would wait for him to bring it up.

Hermione made her way down to the common room, it was Sunday, and she had nothing planned for it. Perhaps if she could she would try to reach Dumbledore and ask about her scar situation. That is if he wasn't busy, Hermione had a feeling that with her recent telling of the Death Eaters and Voldemort's strategy, Dumbledore would be quite busy preparing for it.

"Hello," She smiled as she noticed Remus reading a book by the roaring fire. He looked paler than usual; Hermione knew the full moon was soon, she could feel it in herself as well. She grew more anxious as the moon grew fuller. Remus stiffened at her words and she could see him inhale, his face then screwed up in disgust and he quickly stood up, and shuffled out of the room.

Hermione stood wide eyed in shock. She turned to go follow him, but Remus took all his strength to wave her off. She sat down on the couch in confusion. Did she _smell_ bad? Hermione didn't think so.

"Hello Hermione," James friendly voice said as he filed into the room. Hermione smiled at him and motioned for him to join her.

"Did, er, Remus just run by you looking absolutely awful?" Hermione struggled to find the correct words.

"Yeah, don't know what that was about, he was muttering something about Sirius, probably just pissed he lost the map, er, his homework again." James pitifully recovered. Sirius? Hermione thought that is was particularly strange, but didn't look too much into it.

"He looked sick? Is everything alright with him?" Hermione inquired.

"He's fine, gets sick pretty often though." James recited. Hermione knew that this was probably something he had told many people. "And you look pretty rough yourself Hermione." James noted as he eyed down her sallow looking skin. Hermione ignored the insult.

"Anything I can do to help him?" Hermione asked. But Hermione knew that the only thing to help Remus was the Wolfsbane potion, and she was nowhere near brewing it.

"He's okay. Just some space I guess, he wouldn't want to, er, get you sick too." James awkwardly fumbled with his words; Hermione could tell they didn't sit right with him. Hermione agreed anyways and rested her head on the back of the couch.

"Sirius told me you kissed last night." James noted. Hermione's eyes shot wide opened and she sat straight up.

"H-he did?"

"Yeah. Padfoot tells me everything, we're brothers." James smiled, and then looked back at Hermione. " he really likes you, you know". Hermione smiled at that.

"I like him too, James."

"He has this reputation," James began.

"I don't care about a bloody reputation," Hermione challenged. James laughed and shook his head.

"I'm glad you don't, but you should know it's not true. He snogged a few girls when he was eleven and it stuck ever since. He's had a few girlfriends; don't get me wrong, and he's also snogged a few random birds, but he's not like that." James rambled.

"Thanks for telling me," Hermione smiled appreciatively. James reached around and patted her on the back.

"Hermione! Me and the girls were about to head down to the Great Hall, care to join?" Lily smiled at Hermione, just noticing James, who had stiffened next to her.

"Yeah sure, James" Hermione turned to him, "you coming?" James eyes went wide as they darted from Hermione to Lily, as if silently asking permission. Hermione swore she saw a small smile creep on Lily's face. James must have seen it as well, because he stood fast and followed the girls out of the common room.

Remus was at breakfast, to Hermione's delight. He wouldn't look at her though, and nearly avoided her at all costs. Hermione chalked up Remus' behavior to the nearing full moon; it had been affecting her too. She could hear things that were normally impossible to detect, and her scenes of smell was almost nauseating. Neither of them ate very much, the tastes were too overwhelming.

Hermione hoped that no one noticed her particular behavior at breakfast. And she thought no one had until she was on her way back to the common room, when she was pulled into an empty classroom.

"Get! OFF OF ME!" Hermione yelled as she fought her attacker and struggled to raise her wand.

"Hermione! Chill! It's me!" Remus' voice gasped as he let go of her. Hermione shoved him away and stepped back.

"Remus, what are you doing?" Hermione almost laughed, she had thought it had been Mulciber, maybe coming after her for payback, or even Severus.

"Muffliato!" Remus cast a noise blocking spell on the room and turned around to face Hermione.

"Hermione, I know your secret." Remus softly said, his pale eyes looked at her with sorrow and understanding.

"How?!" Hermione gasped, taking a step back. She had planned to tell her friends, but on her own terms. And if Remus found out, others could as well! She had already figured Regulus knew something, if Remus did as well, then who didn't know she traveled through time?

"The symptoms are pretty obvious if you know what to look for," Remus explained. Hermione's eyes widened in horror, what was he talking about…?

"Er, Remus-"

"Hermione, it's okay! I understand! It explains everything. It explains why you didn't go to Hogwarts for so long, you were afraid. I was too at first! But what I've learned is that people can be much kinder than you think. If you let them be." Remus began. Hermione was completely confused. It didn't sound like he knew her actual secret….then what did he think…?

 _Oh no!_

"Remus! Stop!" Hermione yelled, raising her voice, trying to stop Remus from doing something he was going to regret.

"No! If I can help someone I will! Hermione, I know you scared, but you have to trust me! I know you're a werewolf! Its okay, Hermione, I suffer from it too. The signs were all there! Why you were so defensive of Lycanthropy, why we get _this_ feeling when we are near each other, why you look like you're about to die right now, because of the full moon." Remus explained. Hermione's face was a mix between sadness and fear, what was she going to say! What had he done?! After a moment of silence Remus face paled even more and he turned green.

"Merlin. You're not a werewolf," Remus realized. Hermione cringed and slowly nodded her head. Remus face fell once more.

"Remus, I-"

"Hermione, I'm s-sorry, I h-have t-to do t-this." Remus stuttered as he raised his wand, Hermione figured he was going to cast a memory charm.

"REMUS! WAIT! STOP!" Hermione yelled at him as she put her hands out in mock surrender.

"I'm not a werewolf, your right, but its okay. I don't care if you are, you're my friend. It means nothing." Hermione said, as she held on to his wand and slowly helped him lower it.

"I'm an idiot." Remus deadpanned.

"No, you were right, I wasn't being honest." Hermione confessed. Remus' eyebrow lifted with curiosity. "It explains a lot of what been going on recently, too."

"What is it?" Remus asked.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to share."

"I just told you I WAS A BLOODY WEREWOLF! YOU CAN SHARE A LITTLE SECRET!" Remus roared. Hermione crossed her arms defensively.

"First of all, I knew you were a werewolf, second, my secret is _not_ little. It's bigger than yours even."

"Great, I'm glad we're in competitions with our secrets." Remus seethed. Hermione could tell the full moon was getting to him.

"Remus, please." Hermione said shortly.

"Hermione, please." Remus said back.

"I'll tell you...But you have to promise you'll believe me, and don't hate me, okay?"

"I could never hate you Hermione." Remus retorted sweetly.

"Huh, but you would perform a memory altering charm on me just like that."

"That was completely different. You know it." Remus defended himself.

"Follow me," Hermione said as she began to leave the room. A confused Remus followed her out the room and jogged a bit to catch up to her.

"Where are we going?" Remus inquired.

"It's easier to show you my secret than tell you." Hermione explained. After a moment Remus asked another question.

"Are we going to Dumbledore's office?"

" _Professor_ Dumbledore's office, yes." Hermione corrected him. Once they reached the office Hermione guessed with numerous passwords, and the doors finally opened at _Butterquatch_.

"How'd you know the password?" Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Lucky guess."

 _ **Remus's POV**_

Remus was physically shaking as he entered Dumbledore's office. He had just told someone he had only known for a month the biggest secret _ever_ , and he wanted to vomit. He hadn't planned on telling her, but after her behavior at breakfast, which was so similar to his, he had been so certain that she suffered from Lycanthropy as well.

And he was wrong. He immediately wanted to Obliviate her, but she had been so kind and earnest when begging him not too. Perhaps her secret was bigger than his; perhaps they were still more alike than he thought.

Hermione entered the room before him, and then waved Remus in. Dumbledore was gone, and Remus was surprised that the security for his office wasn't more intense. Hermione walked over to what looked like a massive goblet and did something odd with her wand. She touched it to her head, then dragged out a soft wispy materiel and dropped it into the goblet.

"Are you familiar with this?" Hermione asked, as she repeated the process. Remus shook his head no.

"It's a pensieve. It collects memories, with it; I'm going to show you where I'm from." Hermione explained.

"How does it work?" Remus wondered.

"You can watch the memories." Hermione told him, urging him to ease his head down into the soft silver liquid. Remus looked at her apprehensively, Hermione nodded, and then Remus dipped his head into it.

The first memory placed Remus in Hermione's third year. It showed a bushy haired girl with two boys walking into a train compartment. Remus was confused, this looked like the Hogwarts Express, and Hermione was homeschooled why would she get on the train.

"Is that you?" Remus asked, turning towards Hermione and pointing at the bushy haired girl. Hermione nodded her head and motioned for him to continue watching.

"Who d'you reckon he is?" The red haired boy questioned. As he motioned to a figure who was sitting in the corner of the compartment, Remus was struggling to understand why Hermione brought him here until he heard younger Hermione speak up.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," younger Hermione whispered back. Remus jaw dropped. Professor Lupin? What? He had completely lost her. He tore his head out of the pensieve.

"What the bloody hell was that!" Remus gasped. Hermione cringed, and took a step closer to explain.

"Remus, please try and listen to me. I'm from the future, I was sent back into this time to help defeat Voldemort. You have to believe me." Hermione explained.

"I-I was your Professor?" Remus gasped, uncertain of what to believe.

"Yes, but you were a friend too." Hermione offered as she noticed Remus paled even more.

"Please just watch the rest before you have any questions, please." Hermione begged. Remus reluctantly nodded his head and dipped it back into the pensieve.

The next memory was of an older Remus teaching the class about Boggarts. Remus was still shocked at how all of this could be possible it seemed so strange. Remus noticed that the boys in the photo he saw with Hermione were in the class as well. Hermione was sitting next to the one that looked quite identical to James.

Remus led the kids to the staffroom, where they were greeted with an….older Snape!?

Once all of the children were filed into the room, the older Remus made to close the door, when from behind him, Snape sneered.

"Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." He stormed towards the door than turned around, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin. But this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions into his ear."

Remus noticed a boy go scarlet, and could probably guess that this was Neville Longbottom…Longbottom… The boy did look a bit like Frank Longbottom, a boy who was a year older than him…could this be…

Remus noticed the strong glare from the boy who looked like James directed towards Snape. Was Snape a teacher? How could Dumbledore let that happen? How Dumbledore could let Remus be a teacher for that matter!

Remus was surprised when he noticed his future self raise his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform admirably."

The boys face went quite red. Older Remus pointed to the old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. He continued to explain to the children that there was a boggart in the wardrobe and that there wasn't anything to worry about. He then proceeded to ask the class a question.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is what _a boggart is_?" Remus looked over the class as he noticed a younger Hermione's hand shoot up in the air.

"It's a shape shifter. It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frightens us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," the older Remus smiled down at Hermione, who glowed brightly.

Older Remus continued on with lesson, eventually teaching the class room the correct incantation for the Boggart, _Riddikulus._

Young Remus watched as many of the children correctly turned their biggest fears into comedic relief. When it was the boy who looked like James' turn to go, the atmosphere in the room completely changed. Before the boggart could take shape of anything, the older Remus jumped forward, causing the Boggart to change shape to him. A bright moon hung high in the air, menacingly staring down.

" _Riddikulus!"_ Remus challenged, and then Neville stepped forward and finished it off.

The memory ended.

The next memory was of Snape, in the defense against the dark arts class.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" The boy who looked much like James asked.

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today." Snape replied with a twisted smile. A few minutes more droned on with pointless conversation when Snape cleared his throat.

"Today we shall discuss." He paused, "werewolves."

"But sir," Hermione began, "we're not supposed to do werewolves today, we're due to start hinkypunks-"

"Miss Granger, I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you to turn to page 394." Snape said with an eerily calm voice. "All of you, _now!_ "

Remus didn't have to continue the lesson to know what was going on. Snape was trying to get one of the children to figure out his secret. Once the memory was over the next one began.

It continued with Ron, Harry and Hermione walking down towards the groundskeeper's hut. On the way there they ran into three boys who looked like they were in Slytherin robes. Remus couldn't exactly make out the conversation, but it ended with Hermione punching the familiar looking blonde boy right in the face. The trio continued down towards the hut when they were greeted with Hagrid, who rushed them inside.

"Ron! I don't believe it! It's Scabbers!" Hermione gasped as she pointed to the floor of Hogwarts hut.

"What are you talking about?" the red head gaped at her,

Hermione stormed to the table and flipped the milk jug upside down. A sickly looking rate tumbled out. Remus stared at in confusion….That looked a lot like…

"Scabbers! Scabbers, what are you doing here?" Ron said blankly.

As the boy was examining the rat under the light, Hagrid's friendly face paled.

"They're comin'…"

The trio turned around and a group of men could be heard appearing from within Hagrid's hut.

"Yeh gotta go," Hagrid panicked. Ron stuffed Scabbers in his pocket and the three hurried out the back door. The three were hesitant to leave the Hippogriff, but with much persuasion, they quickly began their way back.

"Whats the matter with you, you stupid rat? Stay still- OUCH! He bit me!" Ron yelped. Hermione scolded Ron quickly, and Remus turned his attention to the rat. It looked horrified, doing everything in its power to squirm its way out of Ron's grasp.

A large orange cat came into view, stalking towards the rat.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione let out a loud groan, "No, go away! Crookshanks! Go!"

The cat continued to stalk towards the trio, much to Scabber's dismay.

"Scabbers-NO!" Ron yelled as the rat dropped from his hand and scurried away into the darkness. Ron sprinted after the rat, causing Hermione to let out another moan.

The duo followed after their friend, who was following after his rat.

"Gotcha!" Ron shouted as he stuffed his rat deep into his pocket. "Get off, you stinking cat!" Remus watched as the duo tripped over Ron and they all stumbled to the ground. Before they could get back up, a large black dog came bounding toward them.

As Remus watched as the action played out he had an overwhelming hunch that the dog was Sirius. Remus could see Harry try and reach for his wand, but was too slow, the dog leaped at him, but with too much force, and the dog rolled off. Remus watched as Harry tried to stand and the dog made for the new attack.

Why was Sirius attacking this boy? Why was this memory relevant to him? He had a hunch that Harry was James son, seeing as they looked so much alike. Why on earth would Harry's, father's, best friend attack him?

Ron stood up, but was instantly down again as the dog sprang back towards him and dragged him away. Remus watched as Harry made a grab for Sirius, but to no avail. Remus looked on as Harry and Hermione were suddenly hit with a branch of the whomping willow.

Remus could see that the dog was at the base of the tree, dragging Ron into a hole that Remus knew all too much about. Remus could hear Hermione and Harry shouting as they struggled to climb in after their friend. Remus watched as the two made their way down the passage way. When they finally made their way towards the end of the passageway, the two stood in shock.

Remus knew where they were though, the place was all too familiar for him; the place was associated with pain and hurt, discomfort and a loss of self. He loathed this place.

"Harry," Hermione whispered, "I think we're in the shrieking shack." Remus watched as the two took in their environment. Harry looked over at a nearby wooden chair that was beaten up very badly.

"Ghosts didn't do that." Harry observed.

There was a creaking above them, and Hermione tensed up next to Harry. Remus followed as the slowly walked upstairs towards the noise. With their wands held tightly in their hands, Harry kicked the door open. To everyone's surprise, Ron was on the floor, clenching his leg in pain, on the four poster bed, sat the large orange cat purring.

"Ron- are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron said the gritted teeth, his faced was contorted in pain, "Harry, it's a trap-"

"What?"

"He's the dog, he's an _animagus_!" Ron shouted. Remus' eyes got wide. So it was Sirius, but why would that be a bad thing. Why did Sirius have such a negative connotation? What happened in the future to make the children fear him?

Remus watched as Harry turned around; a man in the shadows stepped forward. If Remus hadn't known that Sirius' animagus was a large black dog, he wouldn't believe that the man in front of him was his old best friend. His long dark hair was in clumps and filthy. His face was sallow and pale and his skin was waxy and sickly looking. And Remus thought the older version of himself had looked awful.

Remus watched as everything played out. The children looked at Sirius Black with a deep hatred. Such a hatred that made Remus wonder what spawned it. He lifted his head immediately out of the pensieve.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione was standing there, nervously evaluating Remus.

"I was your teacher." Remus stated, to which Hermione nodded.

"Harry, that boy who was your friend. He's James son isn't he?"

Hermione nodded her head.

"The rat, Scabbers. That was Peter?"

Hermione nodded.

"Sirius. Why were you all so afraid of him?" Remus questioned. Hermione took a deep breath.

"If you would please just watch the rest of my memories," Hermione explained.

"Just tell me!" Remus yelled, losing his patience, he was overwhelmed and confused.

"Okay, but Remus, please sit down." Hermione motioned to the chairs in Dumbledore's office. Remus followed her over and sat down, a hand instantly going up to his head and rubbing his temples.

"In the future, things are much different. Voldemort's power was growing; it looked like we were going to lose the war. There was a prophecy though. It stated that towards the end of July, a child would be born with the power to kill Voldemort. It said the neither shall live will the other survives. They would have to eventually have kill one another." Hermione explained. Remus said nothing, only nodded curtly.

"That baby was Harry." Hermione told him. Remus' jaw dropped, although in her memories Harry was an exceptional wizard, it still seemed peculiar.

"Harry's parents were," Hermione paused, "James and Lily were Harry's parents."

"You say were?" Remus asked quietly. Hermione nodded.

"On October 31, 1981, Voldemort decided that Harry was the baby that the prophecy mentioned. He went to their house, and he murdered James and Lily." Remus stiffened up.

"He tried to kill Harry, but something went wrong, the spell rebounded and suddenly, Voldemort was defeated. Harry was okay, he was alive, but he was orphaned. Sirius was Harry's godfather, but he was blamed for James and Lily's death and sent to Azkaban." Hermione explained.

"Sirius? Sirius would never betray them! We are his family! He would never do anything like that!" Remus angrily slammed his fist against the desk. Hermione took a deep breath again.

"Except everyone thought he did, including you." Hermione explained and Remus paled. "In reality, it wasn't Sirius who betrayed James and Lily, it was Peter." Hermione explained.

"Peter? He couldn't hurt a fly!" Remus exclaimed. Hermione nodded.

"He couldn't now, but things changed in the future. Peter framed Sirius, and then hid as a rat for nearly twelve years; he lived with the Weasley's. He was my friend Ron's rat, Scabbers." Hermione told him.

"Once Voldemort was gone, Harry was sent to live with his muggle Aunt and Uncle, Lily's sister. They were horrible to him, but eventually he got his letter to Hogwarts. We were definitely not friends at first," Hermione smiled at the thought.

"But the three of us grew to be as close as ever. Then, in our third year, you became our teacher. You were my favorite by the way," Hermione blushed. "You were sick one day because of the recent full moon, and Snape assigned us an assignment on werewolves, hoping that one of us would figure out your secret. I obviously did. During that time, Sirius black had escaped from Azkaban. After nearly twelve years he was out, and everyone thought he was after Harry. Everyone was wrong. Sirius broke out of Azkaban after seeing a picture of the Weasley family in the newspaper, Ron was holding Scabbers, and Sirius recognized it as Peter. He wanted revenge."

"I think I should watch the rest of the memory," Remus whispered. Hermione nodded her head.

After Remus finished the memory of that night he was speechless.

"I let Sirius rot in jail for twelve years without question." He stated, emotionless. "I hate Peter."

"No, you don't. Peter hasn't become the man I've just showed you. We have the ability to change everything. I'm not going to let Peter hurt anyone. He still has a chance. This isn't going to change your friendship." Hermione told him. Remus reluctantly nodded.

"I have a few more memories to show you," Hermione reminded him. Remus nodded and dipped his head back down.

The next memory was of the Triwizard Tournament, and Voldemort rising back to power. The one after that was the Department of Ministries, Sirius' death. The final memory was of the night Remus saved her from the grey wolf. Once his head was out of the pensieve for the final time he looked at Hermione with such sorrow.

"So you're here to defeat Voldemort?" He said at last. Hermione nodded.

"I'm here to change things. Peter won't betray James and Lily. Harry will grow up with his parents. Sirius isn't going to spend a moment in Azkaban, and I won't let you ever be alone." Hermione gently said.

"I have a lot of questions." Remus countered.

"You believe me then?" Hermione wondered with a raised brow. Remus nodded and Hermione let out the breath she was holding in.

"Of course I believe you, it's too big of a mess to make up." Remus bitterly stated. Hermione shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

"Can I see it?" Remus asked after a moment of silence.

"S-see what?" Hermione mumbled.

"The scar, I want to know how bad I hurt you."

Hermione squirmed in her seat. It wasn't that odd of a request, considering the circumstances. She slowly rolled up her sleeve and stuck her arm out for inspection. Remus inhaled sharply when he saw the scar and his face paled even more.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered. Hermione lifted a comforting hand to his shoulder and patted it.

"It's okay, I'm fine. Trust me."

"Ah, Miss Granger, I see you've come clean about your past." Dumbledore's voice called from behind them. Hermione jumped at his voice but nodded her head.

"Since, I have both of you here; perhaps we should talk about that scar issue?" Dumbledore offered. Hermione's eyes widened and she glanced at Remus, who eagerly nodded his head.

~Until Next Time~

 **Boy way this chapter was a lot of work. But it's done! The secret is out and I hope you liked it. I wasn't sure how to write pensieve scenes, so I sort of added my own flare to them. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Greetings everyone! New Chapter! Hope you all will enjoy it. Also, I'm writing another fanfic, but I don't know if I should post it now, or wait till I'm finished with this one, (which might be a while).**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione nervously looked over at Remus, who was staring at Dumbledore eagerly.

"Professor, please." Remus pressed as Dumbledore smiled at the two students. Dumbledore sighed.

"Before we start, perhaps you would like some tea?" Dumbledore asked no one in particular. Hermione shook her head and Remus hesitantly followed. With a swish of his wand, a cup of tea appeared before him. Hermione could see the steam seep off of the top, and into the brisk air.

"You know what's happening between us then?" Remus questioned, with a raised eyebrow. Dumbledore took a sip of his tea, sighed in satisfaction then nodded.

"It would be quite hard to miss, Mr. Lupin."

"What would be quite hard to miss?" Remus asked immediately.

"Your claim on Miss Granger, it's quite obvious to the trained eye. I think a few of the ghosts have picked up on it as well. The longer you've been around it's easier to see this sort of old magic, I think."

"My _claim_?" Remus' jaw dropped. Hermione noticed his face paling, for about the hundredth time that day, and he looked at her with deep regret. He shook his head and reached for one of Hermione's hands.

"The night you scarred Miss Granger, I trust she has showed you the memory, no doubt?" Dumbledore paused, once Remus reluctantly nodded, Dumbledore continued. "The night you scarred her, it protected her from the other wolf, have you wondered why it did?" Remus shrugged and Dumbledore continued. "You claimed her. When a wolf claims something, it is wise not to harm it, especially an alpha wolf. If you were to harm someone an alpha claimed, your fate would be dire."

"You did it so you could protect me, Remus." Hermione told him quietly, hoping that he wouldn't feel too bad for his actions. He did save her life; it didn't really matter to Hermione the way he did it.

"I could never protect anything," Remus spat bitterly. Hermione cringed, she knew Wolfsbane hadn't been invented yet, and so Remus had yet to be under control of himself while also being a wolf. He didn't understand that in the future, he could still hold part of himself together while transformed.

"Remus," Hermione ventured. "In the future, there is a potion." She took a deep breath, not knowing if she should continue, but doing it nonetheless. "It helps you keep your mind when you're in your wolf form. That's why you didn't attack me along with the grey wolf, you were yourself. You knew I was in danger, and you did everything in your power to help me." Remus gulped and he closed his eyes, Hermione knew he was probably imagining a time in which he control his wolf self.

"A potion, you said?" Dumbledore smiled at the girl. Hermione nodded her head.

"I'm not great at potions, but I could try and make it. I'd just need the ingredients. With enough practice I think I should be able to get it down." Hermione mumbled more to herself than to the other too.

"Would it be wise-" Dumbledore began, but Hermione quickly interrupted.

"I wouldn't sell it for profit sir," she paused, "as much as I'd like to be able to have it available for all werewolves, I don't think it'd be smart. The creator deserves credit, I think. But if I could just please make some for Remus." She pleaded, sneaking a glance at a Remus whose expression she was unable to read.

"I'll allow it, Miss Granger." Dumbledore agreed, "However, I think some assistance might be needed. Once I have found someone worthy to help you with the potion, I'll get the ingredients to you immediately." Hermione smiled brightly, she squeezed the hand that was still holding Remus' and turned to him. He smiled at her nervously, but she gave him a confident smile. Remus needed more confidence, in whatever form it appeared.

"Back to that claim thing sir," Remus back peddled. Hermione's' ears perked up, interested in what he had to say.

"Yes, Mr. Lupin?"

"What does that mean, exactly?" Remus asked, Hermione could tell this was awkward for him to talk about.

"The claim can mean multiple things, Mr. Lupin. From what I've gathered, I'm lead to believe it is a mate claim."

" _Mate Claim?!"_ Hermione and Remus both shouted at once. Hermione looked at Remus with wide eyes, and Remus picked up his chair and moved it about foot away. Hermione had figured it would end up being something like this. She had wanted to distance herself from him, just in case that this happened. Hermione felt nauseas, and she desperately wished she could just go back to bed for the next week or so.

"S-she's my m-mate because of w-what I did?" Remus stuttered, he looked horrified and Hermione was almost offended at how bad he was taking the news.

"I believe so, Mr. Lupin. The night you claimed her, you did it to protect her. An alpha can only protect his pack so much, but for one wolf to kill another's mate, it is an unwritten rule in werewolf law. To kill a wolf that belongs to a pack is a part of life. But to kill and alpha's mate, is forbidden." Dumbledore gently said.

"Excuse-" Remus attempted to be polite, but in the sudden news of all of this, he turned, looked into Hermione's eyes with fear, then continued to vomit all over her shoes.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped as Remus was hunched over and heaving. "I'm glad to see the thought of being with me is so nauseating it caused you to vomit!" Hermione gave a worried glance towards Dumbledore, and then looked at Remus once more. He was done vomiting, but he was sitting on the floor with his head between his legs. He weakly lifted his wand and charmed the vomit away. _How considerate_ , Hermione thought bitterly.

"I'll take him to the hospital wing," Hermione told the headmaster. She leaned down to help a weak Remus up. He was shaking so much, Hermione was worried he was going to pass out, but his feet became more steady the farther they got from Dumbledore's office.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Remus said in barely a whisper. "If it makes you feel better, I hate myself for it. I hate myself for all of it." Hermione stopped walking and turned to him.

"Remus, as much as you'd like to believe," Hermione hissed in a whisper, "that this is the worst thing in the world. It _is_ not!" She looked around and took a step closer to him, "I was sent back in time, to a place I don't belong, to defeat a dark wizard and save the whole bloody world! Being your mate is the easiest thing that has happened to me thus far!" Her words stung Remus, she knew. He weakly took a step away from her then dropped his head.

"I'm so disgusted with myself," he muttered.

"Remus, honestly this doesn't mean much right?" Hermione offered. "I'm basically seeing Sirius," Hermione slowly said, not sure if it was true or not, but according to James he was quite taken with her. "So maybe this whole mate thing is more of a suggestion than anything else." Remus looked at her like she was stupid, and then reluctantly nodded his head.

"Maybe…" He slowly agreed.

"I have so much going on Remus," Hermione sighed as they continued to walk towards the hospital wing. "Sirius and I kissed last night, did you know that?" Hermione raised an eyebrow to him. Remus' face blushed and he shook his head. "Maybe, we can continue seeing other people. That way, y-you don't feel stuck with me. I know your future self didn't intend on this, he probably would have reacted the same way, honestly. I don't want you to feel obligated to me at all." Hermione explained. She watched as Remus nodded his head but didn't look at her.

"I agree."

"I don't think we should tell anybody, either. Not yet at least." Hermione said slowly. Remus nodded his head.

"I don't know how I'm going to talk to Peter again." Remus said, Hermione turned to read his face, but it was expressionless.

"Remus, he hasn't done anything yet. He's innocent. You giving him the cold shoulder is only going to push him away more and make it so he _does_ betray James and Lily." Hermione reasoned with him.

"It almost makes me think, what if this is some paradox, I mean, you were always meant to come back in time, and the reason Peter betrayed everyone, was because you told me, and I started to ignore him, and he grew angry with us, then betrayed us. What if it's some loop? What if it can't be stopped?" Remus urgently questioned.

"It doesn't work like that Remus, it isn't some loop. I can never go back. I'm stuck here for the rest of my life. I'll never be able to go back to my own time." Hermione stated. It was funny, the way she said it, it was more like she was telling herself these things, maybe so she could move on and do her job. Remus looked at her then shook his head.

"You're here forever then?"

"Just like you," Hermione shrugged.

"I'm sorry."

"I know."

 _ **Remus' POV**_

 _MATE!_

 _MATE!_

 _MATE!_

The wolf inside Remus screamed as he comfortingly hugged Hermione. She smelled like rain and chocolate. Remus inwardly screamed.

"I think I'm feeling better. I don't think I need to go to the hospital wing." Remus explained to her. Hermione gave him a worried look but nodded her head.

"Do you think maybe, we could, er go for a walk on the grounds or something?" Remus asked. "So we can talk about some things. Maybe we could visit Hagrid; it looked like you two were friends?" Remus offered.

"That'd be nice, I haven't seen him yet." Hermione said eagerly, "I've been kind of putting it off; actually, I thought it might be too hard. I think it'd be nice now though, don't you think?" She looked up at Remus who nodded.

"What was I like as a teacher?" Remus asked suddenly as they walked out of the castle. He looked at Hermione who looked thoughtful for a moment, then smiled.

"You were fantastic, the best we ever had." Hermione smiled at the memory.

"Was I, er, alone? In your time, I mean, did I have a wife or girlfriend or something?" Remus asked, trying to hide the shakiness of his voice. He didn't know why he asked, did he even care?

"No, you didn't have a wife." Hermione's face went a bit red. "And I don't think you had a girlfriend, although, in my time you probably wouldn't have told me if you were seeing anyone."

Remus nodded, they weren't friends in her time. He was her teacher, her mentor, someone she respected. That was all. "Oh, I see." They walked further down the ground to Hagrid's hut, Hermione made to knock, but Remus caught her hand, and gave her a _he doesn't remember you, remember?_ Look.

"Hagrid?" Remus called and the door was swung open. Hagrid peered down at the two and then motioned for them to come in.

"Hello Remus. Brough' a friend, I see," Hagrid grunted. Remus looked over at Hermione who was looking at Hagrid as though she might run up and hug him.

"Yes, this is Hermione, she was homeschooled but now she goes to Hogwarts. She's in my year." Remus explained to the half-giant. Hagrid let out a grunt and stuck out his large hand.

"I think I've 'eard about ya." Hagrid grumbled. "Through the grape vine, yeah know."

"Hermione, this is Hagrid, the grounds keeper here at Hogwarts." Remus reintroduced Hermione to Hagrid. Hermione reached for his hand eagerly and smiled brightly at him.

"Nice to meet yer, Hermione," Hagrid rumbled.

"The feelings mutual," Hermione smiled. "Hagrid, your pumpkins outside our massive, are you growing them for the Halloween feast?" Hermione questioned. Hagrid's face brightened up and he sat a bit taller. Hermione seemed to have this affect on people; she liked to build them up. When Remus watched the memories, Hermione had been a bit bossier in her own time than she was here. Remus wondered if it was because she was older and more mature now, maybe it was something you grew out of.

"Er, yes. Not as big as I'd like erm to be, but we still got a 'ew weeks with 'em." Hagrid mentioned as he peered out his window and admired his pumpkin patch. The conversation between the two passed much along like this. Remus didn't say much, he understood how much it meant to Hermione to just be able to talk to someone familiar. Once lunch approached the two said their goodbyes and headed back towards the castle.

"Thanks for taking me," Hermione smiled up at him, once they entered the Great Hall.

"Anytime, Hagrid's a good man." Remus chuckled as he threw an arm around Hermione's shoulders, bringing her closer. He could hear her laugh and start to say something when someone cleared their throat behind them, making the duo turn round and look.

"Ahem, Mr. Lupin, please take your hands off of my lady." Sirius said in a mock authority voice, as he looked the two over. Remus' eyes went wide and his face turned red as he stiffened up next to Hermione. It wouldn't have been a big deal, that is, if Hermione wasn't technically actually _his_ lady.

"Sirius Orion Black, I am no one's lady." Hermine teased as she stepped out of Remus embrace and poked Sirius right in the chest. Sirius gasped and his hands lifted up in mock surrender.

"My dearest apologies," Sirius smirked as he brought Hermione into a hug. Remus could hear Hermione giggle as Sirius whispered into her ear. On a normal day he probably would have been able to hear it, but would have just ignored it, today however was not a normal day and it was so close to the full moon.

" _But you are mine, you know that?"_ Sirius purred into Hermione's ears and she was sent into another fit of giggles. Remus stomach churned, being possessive and jealous was obviously a factor if you had made a claim on someone who didn't quite return your affections.

"Alright, lovebirds, tone it down." James joked as he sat down at the Gryffindor table; Peter sat down heavily next to him. Remus sighed, and rubbed his temples. He was tired and he had been through enough today, and all he wanted was sleep.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

The next few weeks passed quite quickly. As Sirius and Hermione grew closer, so did James and Lily. Although the latter two were nowhere near as friendly as Hermione and Sirius, it was still interesting to watch their relationship develop. The Halloween feast had gone and past and Hermione had little progress with the Horcruxes still. The thought disturbed her as James read aloud the list of attacks in the Dailey Prophet one morning.

" _A muggle family of five was murdered in their home over the weekend. The Dark Mark was scene over a recently attacked household and in neighboring areas. There were no survivors."_

Hermione cringed; she hated the fact that these deaths could have been prevented. If she had just remembered, if she had warned Dumbledore, innocent people would be alive. She made eye contact with Remus and he shook his head once, silently letting her know that it wasn't her fault and she shouldn't blame herself. Hermione and Remus had been doing this a lot recently, communicating without talking. It was almost as if since the two accepted their fate, they had grown a lot closer. Suddenly glances between them were able to be more than glances, leading to fully fledged silent conversations.

"POTTER!" Mulciber roared from the Slytherin table. "BLACK! PETTIGREW! LUPIN! YOU'RE ALL DEAD!"

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts as the large Slytherin boy stormed towards the Gryffindor table. She looked at the accused and could see the four Marauders were having trouble keeping straight faces. James face glowed a bright red, but not nearly as bright as Mulciber's face; however, Mulciber's face wasn't glowing bright red out of embarrassment. As he stormed towards the table, followed by Avery and Regulus, Hermione suddenly understood what was happening. It looked as though the Marauders had charmed the entire Slytherin table's food to turn them all a bright shade of Gryffindor scarlet and gold.

"What did you do?" Hermione hissed at Sirius as he doubled over in laughter. After a moment of trying to mature about the situation, Hermione joined him in fits of laughter. The Slytherin's however, looked less than pleased. The only thing stopping them from hexing the Gryffindors were the teachers, who some looked like they were trying to stop themselves from laughing.

"Boys," Minerva McGonagall was suddenly right behind them. Hermione stiffened as she heard the stern woman's voice. Hermione had proven to be quite advanced in her Transfiguration class. After the first lesson even, Professor McGonagall had called Hermione up to her desk and had expressed how pleased she had joined her in the Gryffindor house, it made Hermione beam for a week. But now, Hermione was just plain scared of the older woman.

"Good morning Minnie, how are you?" Sirius asked through a mouthful of oatmeal.

"You look quite dashing, really." James added.

"Quite spectacular in fact." Remus chimed.

"Really, quite darling," Peter squeaked. Hermione wondered how the boys managed to get away with treating their Professor that way. The four were charismatic, and always managed to talk down there detentions, but calling a teacher by their first name? That was just crossing the line. Hermione elbowed Sirius in the ribs and he began a coughing fit, to which Professor McGonagall looked at with no amusement.

"Do you happen to know who caused the Slytherin's to turn Gryffindor colors? It seems to be your area of..." She paused, "Expertise." Professor McGonagall peered at the boys through her glasses. That look would have made Harry, Hermione, and Ron shake from fear, but the Marauders seemed to enjoy the attention.

"Notta clue." Sirius answered for the group. "But don't you think the artists who did such wonderful work should be dutifully credited, Mr. Potter?" Sirius turned to his friend.

James ran a hand through his messy hair and straightened up his glasses. "I quite agree. That was very hysterical, wouldn't you agree Mr. Lupin?" Remus sat up a bit straighter and confidently smiled.

"Very hysterical, probably one of the best pranks done at Hogwarts to this very day, right Mr. Pettigrew?" Remus turned to his pudgy friend. Peter frantically nodded.

"It's probably going to be remembered for years." Peter added.

"Or decades," Sirius smirked.

"Centuries," James added.

"Eternity, perhaps." Remus finished.

Professor McGonagall sighed and looked over at the boys.

"Detention, all four of you. For a week, I'll have no tolerance for this. You'll be of age soon and suddenly you'll remember that the world doesn't need more pranksters." She paused and then walked away. Hermione thought she heard her muttering that _'those boys keep me young,'_ but couldn't be sure.

"Are you happy, now you have a week's worth of detention." Hermione scoffed, she wasn't used to her friends getting detentions so casually now. Remus shrugged as well did James. Peter looked a tad worried but Sirius just laughed.

"Well, was it worth it?" Hermione asked.

"Well worth it." Sirius said smiling.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you liked it! Please review; they make me so happy and so eager to continue writing! Anyways thank you so much to everyone who has took the time to read this. It's crazy that people actually care about my writing. No one I know in real life knows I like to write, not even my closest friends, so thanks for all the support! You guys are great!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Greetings Everyone! Here's another chapter. I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter universe.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

The first time it snowed that year Hermione cried. It was just another season she would never get to experience with her old loved ones. The worst part about the tears was that Hermione felt guilty for them. She had new friends, and they were all amazing, but they weren't Ron and Harry. Even this Hagrid wasn't quite the same as hers. It stung.

Later that morning Hermione made her way down to breakfast. She was tired and groggy and it seemed that she was the only one. Many of the other students were buzzing around excited for Christmas holiday, even though it was still weeks away. That's another thing that made Hermione sad. It would be a Christmas without the Weasley's, something Hermione just wasn't used to. She sat down slowly; she ate her breakfast slowly, and much of what she did that day, seemed to be done, slowly.

"Hermione, you seem down?" Alice noted as she took a sip of her juice. Marlene and Lily agreed and prodded Hermione to explain. Hermione forced a smile and shrugged.

"I'm okay, just haven't been getting a lot of sleep." Hermione exclaimed to her friends.

"Classes have been getting a lot more stressful, that's for sure." Alice agreed as she took a bite of her eggs.

"Especially Potions, even when I'm partnered with Alice I'm always so far behind." Marlene complained. Alice let out a pitty laugh and Lily tilted her head.

"I don't think it's too bad," Lily contemplated; she elbowed Hermione in the gut and Hermione jolted up right.

"Yeah, Potions isn't too bad." Hermione absentmindedly agreed her thoughts in a completely different place. Marlene's jaw dropped and so did her fork.

"Says the smartest girls in our year!" Marlene laughed loudly. Alice frowned for a moment then joined Marlene in laughter.

"Hey, breakfast is quiet. Where are the boys?" Lily casually asked, but the other three girls grinned at her.

"Does someone miss the company of a certain messy haired prankster?" Marlene grinned evilly. Hermione perked up, she hadn't even noticed the boys were missing. She had been so deep in her thoughts that she missed the company of the very people she cared for most.

"I do," Hermione snorted. The other girls doubled over in hysterics and after a few moments of laughter all three of them raised a suspicious eyebrow.

"And please clarify which one it is?" Alice smirked. Hermione's eyes got wide, and she knew the other girls noticed.

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Hermione said through clenched teeth, knowing that Alice hadn't meant harm by it, but it made her uncomfortable nonetheless.

"What she means to say is," Marlene interrupted. "Sirius likes you a lot. Seriously, we've never seen him act so comfortable with anyone, except for those other three."

"But we see the way Remus looks at you," Lily added. Hermione sat up straighter. As far as she was concerned, the only reason Remus looked at her was because they knew each other's deepest secrets. That's it. They had both made an agreement that just because _technically_ they were 'mates', it didn't mean anything had to happen. Hermione was almost sure he was disgusted by the idea; he did vomit on her when he heard the news.

"Remus and I are just friends, seriously. Just friends." Hermione firmly stated, shocked at the girls presumptions. Alice nodded her head, not wanting to start a disagreement, Marlene reluctantly followed but Lily continued looking at Hermione in a particular way that reminded her of Harry.

"And Sirius?"

"I've grown fond of the boy," Hermione mused. This sent the girls in hysterics again.

"Are you guys a couple then?" Alice pressed. Hermione shrugged.

"I'm not sure," Hermione paused, what _were_ Sirius and her, they both liked each other, why wasn't it official yet? "We haven't made things, er official, I guess." Hermione squirmed. She hated talking about this, as she hated many things 'typical' girls did. Boy talk was a foreign language to the bookish girl. It made her feel vulnerable, and if Hermione hated being one thing, it was being vulnerable, which also happened to be something she'd been feeling a lot of lately.

She still wasn't getting anywhere with the Horcruxes. It was putting a stress on her. She knew she had time for the Horcruxes, but she'd hoped she'd be a bit more successful by now. Peter however was a completely different story. Since getting here, and since sharing the truth with Remus, Peter had been treated better by nearly everyone around him. Hermione's kindness wore off on Sirius, and Remus usually stood up for Peter in difficult situations. Hermione was almost positive that Peter was not going to betray his friends.

"Maybe you should talk to him?" Marlene offered. Hermione shrugged and reluctantly agreed. She mainly agreed to get the girls off of her back; she had more things to worry about than whether or not Sirius and she were 'official'.

"Potions should be starting soon, let's get going." said Lily as she made her way to stand up. Hermione followed the other three girls to potions, which went by slowly.

The Marauders were missing from their potions lessons as well, and Hermione became worried. She wondered maybe if there was an accident during the full moon, but calculated that that couldn't be the case, because the full moon was two weeks ago. She shrugged and tried to pay attention, but the hours passed very slowly, Hermione chalked it up to the fact that the Marauders weren't there to make funny comments or pull silly pranks on the Slytherins.

"Hermione?" Lily's voice rang in Hermione's ear. Hermione shook her head and tried to focus on what Lily was saying.

"Er, sorry, zoned out a bit?" Hermione admitted.

"Could you pass me the mandrake roots?" Lily repeated, looking at Hermione with deep concern. "Are you sure you're alright Hermione?"

Hermione nodded her head, "Yeah, just one of those days, you know?" Lily smiled tightly and agreed. That was one of the things Hermione liked about Lily, she understood when to press things and when to back off.

Once the class was dismissed Hermione followed her three friends back to the common room. Hermione reached into her bag and picked up _A Tale of Two Cities_ and sat down next to the fire and began to read. She lost her train of thought multiple times because of a group of fourth years that were playing a very loud and very boisterous game of Exploding Snap. Hermione was just getting to her favorite part when a nervous first year walked up to her.

"Er, uh, er, are y-you er, H-Hermione u-h, G-Granger?" A small boy asked her. Hermione stared at the first year with amazement; she never thought she was that small when she was eleven. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was always mature for her age.

"Yes, I'm Hermione. Is there something wrong? Do you need help with your lessons?" Hermione asked the boy. It wasn't odd for the underclassmen to wander towards her, loudly exclaiming that they were struggling with their classes. It was pretty much known throughout the Gryffindor house that Hermione couldn't resist helping other students with her grades. It was one of the reasons why she pushed Sirius to study so much, even if his grades were nearly as great as her own.

"U-uh, I w-was told to t-tell you to g-go to the g-grounds. Outside t-the castle." The boy finished. Looking particularly proud that he had managed to have a somewhat conversation with an upperclassman, without being hexed.

"Who sent you here?" Hermione raised an eyebrow questiongly. It could have been a trap from one of the Slytherins, who knows; maybe Lucius Malfoy was out there, plotting his revenge against her. Hermione shivered at the thought, she wanted her revenge on Lucius Malfoy, but on her own terms.

The boy stared at her wide eyed, with his lips sealed shut. His face turned slightly pink. Hermione rolled her eyes, whoever sent the boy to her, he was told to keep his mouth shut. She grunted and set her book down on table in front of her.

"Should I be scared?" Hermione asked the boy, her patience quickly running out. Her day had already been too long; all she wanted to do was hideaway and read.

"Er, I, uh, d-don't think so." The boy stuttered fiddling with his fingers. Hermione gave him another suspicious look.

"Alright, let's go. Take me there." Hermione told the boy. He jumped back and gaped at her, surprised that she would be seen in the corridors with him. She went to leave the common room, but the boys feet looked as if they were glued to the floor.

"Are you coming, then?" Hermione asked. The boy nodded quickly and quickly walked in front of her, leading the way. She followed the boy all the way out of the castle and onto the grounds. Hermione inhaled sharply as she looked at the view. It must have snowed at least a foot or two since she looked outside this morning. It was a winter wonderland. Hermione lifted her arms up, as if embracing the snowflakes and stuck out her tongue. The first year looked at her, laughed then followed her lead and stuck out his tongue. Hermione took one look at him and burst out into laughter.

"What did you have to show me-"

"HERMIONE!" Sirius' voice rang loud in the frigid air. Hermione whipped around and saw Sirius sprinting towards her, at full speed. She squealed as he lifted her up in an embrace. While still holding her, Sirius attempted to walk down the grounds more, but unfortunately stepped on an icy patch of snow, and toppled to the ground. Hermione squealed as Sirius hit the ground hard, and she fell onto him.

"Quite the pair, huh?" Sirius smirked as he placed a kiss onto her lips, and then helped her up. Hermione smiled at him. He was wearing a hat that looked like it was homemade and a big bulky Christmas sweater. Hermione liked this look on him.

"Is that why you threatened that first year? You made him bring me down here so you could tackle me?" Hermione teased as she placed another kiss onto his cheek. Sirius shook his head.

"Falling was an accident." Sirius reminded her, "Although I'm glad you found it endearing." Hermione laughed at his words, but protested as he shoved his hand into her face.

"Sirius, what are you-"

"Blindfolding you," Sirius said as though it were obvious. "You know I have an actual surprise for you, right?" Hermione tried not to blush but under these circumstances, it was quite difficult.

"Sirius, I don't know…" Hermione said hesitantly as she grabbed his hand away from her face and looked up at him, not that she didn't trust him, she just wasn't too keen on the unknown. Sirius looked down at her and pretended to pout, his puppy dog eyes were nearly perfected, and Hermione ended up agreeing to let him blindfold her.

"Almost there….watch your step…okay…LOOK!" Sirius shouted loudly as he ripped his hand away from her face.

Hermione was overwhelmed with the sight in front of her. The first thing she noticed was the massive snow man, who Remus was charming to dance awfully. Hermione was sent into hysterics by the sight. Hermione's eyes then traveled to the very large and elaborate castle made completely out of ice. Peter was perched on top of one of the towers pleasantly, tossing up and down a snowball, while James was standing at the entrance, arms wide, as if saying _ta-da!_ What Hermione had not expected was for James to actually do so.

"TA-DA!" James yelled as he waved his arms in the air, pointing at the massive structure behind him. Hermione's jaw dropped as she ran up to and placed her hand onto the ice. It was cold, and wasn't an allusion. The boys had actually made a castle out of ice; even with magic it would've taken hours.

"You skipped class for this?" Hermione couldn't help but scold. Sirius frowned.

"Hermione, we have managed to make a life size castle out of ice, and you are questioning our attendance?" Sirius deadpanned.

"It is amazing," Hermione admitted, looking over it in astonishment. Hermione was about to ask how the pulled it off when she heard something behind her,

"James Potter!" Lily's voice called from behind them. Hermione turned around and saw Lily storming down to the castle, with Alice and Marlene flaking behind her. Once Lily was close enough, Hermione could see the large smile plastered on her face.

"Impressive," She breathed as she looked around at the structure. Alice and Marlene laughed as Remus showed them the dancing snowman, and soon they were all making snow angels.

"Hey!" Marlene squealed as Peter charmed a snowball to hit her in the face. Suddenly everyone was charming snowballs to hit other people until Lily cleared her throat loudly.

"If we're doing this, we're doing it right!" She demanded. "No wands! This is an old fashion, muggle snowball fight!" Lily took out her wand, and set it down in front of her. The rest of them quickly followed and soon they were all sending intimidating looks at one another.

The first team consisted of Lily, Remus, Marlene and Sirius. The second team included Hermione, James, Peter and Alice. The only rules in the game were that no magic was allowed and the last person to stand's team wins.

They all started off by going into the ice castle, and finding good hiding spots. Since Hermione had awful aim, her only hope was to wait the fight out and hopefully let everyone get each other out. Hermione was familiar with this strategy when she was in her Muggle school gym class.

The first person to be hit was Peter. He was hiding at the very top of the castle, and was too busy shivering from the cold to notice Marlene come up behind him and throw the snowball directly in his face.

"Payback Pettigrew!" Marlene jumped up and down with excitement. But she celebrated too soon, because James came up behind her and hit her right in the back. Hermione could hear James celebrating as he explored the rest of the castle.

From her hiding spot, Hermione could hear Alice squeal as Sirius threw the snowball at her, to her delight, the snowball soared over her head. Alice let out a large sigh of relief, but was suddenly squealing again when one of Lily's snowballs made contact with her shoulder.

"Evans! I knew I liked you for a reason," Sirius high fived the red head and they continued throughout the castle. Hermione could hear Lily laugh loudly, and say something to Sirius she couldn't quite make out.

Hermione was startled when James popped up right next to her. It seemed as though he had the same hiding place idea as her, and was upset that she was here before him. The exchange between them was silent, communicating by some faux form of sign language made on the spot. The conversation ended up with James giving Hermione a rude hand gesture and grumpily leaving the hiding place. Hermione pressed into her nook even more when she could hear James running into the opposing team.

"IT WAS A TIE! WE HIT EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME!" Hermione could hear James yell.

"YOU'RE A SORE LOSER POTTER!" Lily screamed back. Hermione focused on the conversation near her.

"Alright, your both out then," Hermione could hear Remus reason between the two. Hermione made out two grumpy grunts of agreement and took a deep breath. If she was correct, she was the last one on her team left. Sirius and Remus were the only two left on the opposing team, and were more than likely together…If she could sneak up on them, and get them both…She'd have a shot at winning the game.

Hermione cautiously made her way throughout the castle, nearly slipping a countless amount of times. She heard a voice in the next hallway, and pressed her ear to the ice wall, which surprisingly worked. She could make out the murmur of conversation, and figured it had to be the enemy. She slowly walked towards the entrance of the room, and saw Remus standing there, waiting.

"UH HAH!" Hermione yelled as she raised an arm to throw a snowball directly at him. But as soon as she raised her arm, she dropped it. Remus was staring at her, wide eyed, as if daring her to throw the snowball. Hermione couldn't do it though, physically it was impossible. As much as she willed herself to throw the snowball, it was impossible. Her body wouldn't do it.

"Gotchya!" She heard a voice say behind her. She whipped her head around, and Sirius was standing there, snowball in hand. Before Hermione could react, he pelted her directly in the chest.

"WE WON!" Sirius jumped up and down and stormed passed Hermione to Remus, whom he lifted up in the air with victory. Remus let out a loud laugh, but didn't break eye contact with Hermione. Their eye contact only confirmed that Remus was aware that it had been impossible for Hermione to throw the snowball at him. He gave an expression that said, _talk about it later._ And Hermione curtly nodded.

"Hah! In your face, James!" Lily stuck out her tongue at the messy haired boy. James looked a bit disgruntled, but satisfied nonetheless. As the rest of the group reappeared things began to settle down. Lily and the other girls walked back to the castle with Remus, James, and Peter, leaving Hermione along with Sirius.

"I have one more surprise," He said as he gave his wand a swish. A broom came out of nowhere and landed in his hands. Hermione's face paled and she shook her head.

"Sirius, I hate flying, I c-can't do that." Hermione stuttered nervously. She loathed flying, every single aspect of it. Perhaps if she was a talented flyer it would have been a different story, but she however, was not a talented flyer, and thus, loathed it.

"You don't need to do any work, I promise," Sirius smiled one of his award winning smirks at her. Hermione shook her head timidly again.

"I don't know Sirius…" Hermione said reluctantly, whatever his surprise was; surely he could just tell her about it. It was the thought that counted right? Sirius clicked his tongue and turned to her.

"Look, Hermione. I care a lot about you. I would never let anything happen to you, I promise. I'm a great flyer, I've been doing it since I could walk, and I guarantee I'll get you safely to the ground." Hermione looked from Sirius to the broom, and then eventually agreed.

"Okay, hold on," Sirius warned as he kicked off the ground. Hermione's eyes were shut tight the entire time. She was holding on so tight to Sirius, that she thought he might protest. Hermione could feel the motions of the broom, and didn't think they had gone far when she heard Sirius' voice.

"Oh bugger," Sirius bitterly said.

"W-what?" Hermione barely whispered from behind him.

"Don't you see what I'm looking at?" Sirius said obviously, then he attempted to turn around and look at her, "Hermione, are your eyes closed?" He asked.

"Yes," She meekly said. Sirius let out a barking laugh.

"Please open them," He pleaded. Hermione reluctantly opened her eyes, and was surprised to see that they had only gone up, hundreds of feet in the air.

"Okay, look down." Sirius guided her. Hermione gulped.

"Isn't that what you're not supposed to tell someone who's afraid of heights?" Hermione asked as she felt her stomach drop.

"Please." Sirius pleaded again. Hermione slowly tilted her head down and understood what Sirius was looking at. From what could only be scene from up in the air, carved into the snow was the words.

BE MINE

But it looked as though some of the snow around the letters had melted and morphed into them. Hermione laughed at this and squeezed Sirius extra tight.

ZE WINE

"I'm not aware of what that says," Hermione teased, "Could it be French?" Hermione didn't have to see Sirius' face to know he was blushing.

"I'm sorry, this was stupid, I should have known-" Sirius was interrupted.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes I will be yours."

Sirius let out an extremely loud whoop of excitement, and took a victory lap around Hogwarts much to Hermione's displeasure.

"I'm going to be sick!" Hermione squeaked as Sirius dodged a flock a birds. He was too busy whooping and hollering to pay attention.

"Sirius!" Hermione whined loudly and pinched his arm.

Once they were safely on the ground, Sirius lifted Hermione up in a large hug and then set her down and pulled her into a deep kiss.

"You're quite possibly the best," Sirius mused as he pulled her in for another hug.

"I know," Hermione smirked a most Sirius like smirk. And the newly found couple made their way up to the castle.

~Until Next Time!

 **Hope you guys liked this, a lot of fluff and filler, but all necessary. Thanks for reading, and read a review on what you think. Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Greetings Everyone! Hope your all having a good day, here's another update. As always, please let me know what you think.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of the Harry Potter universe.**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

"Do you think she said yes?" Peter asked as they made their way to the castle, leaving Hermione and Sirius alone for his big reveal. Alice and Marlene both eagerly nodded their heads. James and Lily were walking a bit ahead of the group, lost deep within their own conversation. James was waving his arms around frantically, as if trying to prove a point, while Lily kept shaking her head and laughing.

"Definitely," Marlene smiled, "They're both so obsessed with each other. It'd be stupid of her to say no."

"Sirius, wouldn't shut up about her last night. He was so worried for this, up all night talking about her. It almost sounded worst than James talking about Lily, or quidditch. "

Peters face reddened as if he said something he shouldn't have. It was no mystery that James had been crushing on Lily, he nearly harassed her senseless the first five years of school. This year was different however, James would occasionally say something stupid which would anger the pretty red head, but now, more often than not, the two could be seen laughing and talking together. It was quite the progress.

"Yes," Alice ignored Peter's remark, "And after the way he's going to ask her, she'd be insane to turn him down. They make a nice couple, don't you think?" She asked no one her particular. The group consensus was that they in fact, did make a cute couple.

If anyone was being honest they were complete opposites. Where Sirius was fire, Hermione was ice. If Hermione was the calm before the storm, then Sirius was a hurricane. If Hermione was a stoic mountain, tall and proud, then Sirius was a coursing river, carving in and out all of her twists and turns. If Sirius was a scorching hot summer day, then Hermione was an unexpected blizzard. They were complete opposites, and somehow that made it so perfect.

"She'll say yes," Remus agreed, the other murmured and eventually found a seat for lunch at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

"If anyone knows what Hermione's going to do, it's Moony," James smiled and slapped Remus on the back, "The two of them are so similar, sometimes I forget who I'm talking to." Remus forced himself to laugh along with the rest of his friends. He didn't think that they were that much alike, but that there connection probably had to do with the fact that they were soul mates. But whatever, he was supposed to forget about that.

Remus wasn't bitter, he truly wasn't. He was happy that two of his most favorite people found happiness in one another. It was unfortunate that he wasn't the one specifically who made Hermione happy, but as long as she was, Remus was okay with suffering a bit. And the suffering wasn't too bad. Only when Hermione felt a deep emotional attraction to someone else did it sting. It was actually more of a dull ache, it started in his gut then spread throughout his entire body, slowly building up and then remaining there for the rest of the day.

Remus was quite used to pain, having gone through hundreds of transformations throughout his life. What Remus wasn't used to however, was the dull aching sadness that the pain brought along with it. It felt as though someone had not only physically assaulted him, but emotionally as well.

"I'm not very hungry," Remus stood up and clamped a hand down on Peter's shoulder. "I think I'm going to the library to work on the Potions essay we missed. I'll see you lot later." Remus walked down to the library, his head spinning. He didn't want to be there when Sirius and Hermione arrived together. He wanted them to be happy, and he wasn't sure they would be happy with Remus moping all around them. So he headed to the library.

He chose a table in the near back. Many underclassmen gave him worried looks, as if he would attack them at anytime. Remus tried to remind himself that his two best friends probably would hex them if they were here, and that he was closely associated with the two. He put on his friendliest smile as a couple of scared first years looked at him with a mix of total fear and admiration; quite an satisfyingly odd combination.

After an hour of studying, Lily bounded up to Remus and sat down. Remus enjoyed Lily's company. She was kind and funny and helped Remus in class without making him feel incompetent. He even had hoped before that they would be more than friends, but thinking about that now just made Remus cringe. She was just Lily, and that's all she'll ever be.

"Hello Remus." Lily smiled at him.

"Hello, Lily. Coming to work on your Potions essay?"

"No, I finished it this morning actually," Lily paused. "How are you Remus, you've been acting a bit weird lately. Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Weird? Don't know what you're talking about."

"Remus," Lily sighed.

"Lily," Remus recited.

"Does it have to do with Hermione?" Lily gently asked. Remus's eye shot up and met hers. She was right, Lily was always right. Lily had a tendency to be right about nearly everything.

"It's fine." Remus reluctantly nodded his head. He looked up at Lily who was giving him a patronizing look. Remus hated that look.

"Remus…"

"She's good with Sirius, everyone thinks so. She likes him, he likes her. I don't fit into that equation, Lily. They complement each other, mesh together perfectly. I'm happy for them." Remus said through clenched teeth. Lily gave him a sad smile and reached over and squeezed his hand.

"It's okay to be upset, you know." She spoke quietly.

"No, it's not okay for me. They're my friends; I don't want to upset them. This isn't so bad." Remus explained to her. Lily shook her head.

"You're hiding from your friends in the library! Sorry to burst your bubble Remus, but it is _that_ bad!" Lily hissed. Her bright green eyes were wide with worry, and her red hair was messy, something it usually never was.

"Lily, I don't know what you want me to say." Remus said tiredly. He felt exhausted, emotionally and physically.

"I want you to say something Remus, you let James and Sirius do whatever they please. What are you afraid of happening, they aren't going to just up and quit being your friend because you tell them to stop hexing underclassmen, or that you actually have feelings for Hermione. Be a man!" Lily snapped, her eyes glaring at Remus.

She had a point. Remus did little to nothing to stop Sirius and James from doing anything that could seem a little risky. He didn't tell Hermione that he liked her, even when she asked if it was okay that they saw different people, he said it was fine. When Sirius asked if he could have a shot with the new girl, Remus gave him the go ahead.

Remus let all of this stuff happen. He knew that he did this because he was afraid he'd lose his friends. He was so scared that they'd hate him because he was a werewolf, that when they had accepted him, Remus had promised to himself that he would never give the boys a reason to quit being his friend. They were too valuable to Remus, and Remus was too insecure.

"I'm sorry if I've disappointed you Lily," Remus snorted bitterly. Lily frowned; clearly she didn't want this to go that way. She shook her head.

"Sorry for flipping out. It just sucks seeing you like this, especially when it so easily could have been you with Hermione, not Sirius." Lily explained, as she rested her head on his shoulder. Remus nodded.

"Tell me about it," He snorted. "What about James and you?" Lily's eyes went wide and she straightened right up.

"What about James and me?" Lily raised an eyebrow and had an almost offended look on her face.

"You just seem to be arguing less," Remus paused, "Or you seem to not be yelling at him as much." Lily huffed and awkwardly shifted in her seat. Remus could see that her face was getting going bright scarlet.

"He's become a little more tolerable, that's all." Lily gasped, "I should get going, Alice wants me to help her with her essay in the common room." She told Remus as she began to stand up. "But please, think about what I said. I don't want you to lose yourself." Lily started walking towards the exit of the library, turned around once more, and gave Remus a hopeful smile, then quickly left.

Remus sighed, he knew Lily was right in nearly everything she said but he couldn't force him to completely commit quite yet. He turned back to his books but found it difficult to study. After nearly fifteen minutes of rereading the same paragraph in his book, Remus finally closed it and began packing up his bag. Remus was about to leave, when his ears perked up, faintly hearing light footsteps walking towards him. Remus stayed a moment longer; he reached for his wand in his robes until he inhaled. He could smell her.

 _Hermione._

"Boo!" She attempted to scare him as she jolted her hands out in front of her. To Hermione's disappointment, Remus didn't so much as flinch. He couldn't help at laugh at the pouting face she made as she sat down at his table.

"Werewolf, remember?" He reminded her as he motioned towards himself. Hermione sheepishly grinned and patted the seat next to her for him to sit down. Remus reluctantly agreed.

"What've you been working on?" Hermione asked as she attempted to peek inside Remus' book bag.

"Potions," Remus said shortly and Hermione nodded.

"It was very sweet of you boys to help Sirius with all that ice today, even if you skipped out on class to do it," Hermione said after a moment, a small smile planted on her face.

"We would've done it anyways…But Sirius enthused our motivation by threatening a few painful hexes," Remus smiled, for one of the first times today. When he was with Hermione, he felt calm and relaxed, a side effect he thought was probably from his claim on her.

"Oh no," Hermione paled and giggled, "He can be quite persuasive when he wants to be, huh?"

"Please Hermione; you don't even know half of it." Remus rolled his eyes, which sent Hermione into hysterics.

"Have you told him yet?" Remus could tell the question surprised Hermione. Remus was glad he didn't have to specify on the question, he knew that she realized it was about her past. Hermione timidly shook her head no.

"Er, no. It hasn't seemed to come up." She bit her bottom lip nervously, another thing about her that Remus absolutely adored.

"Hermione, he deserves to know, you can't hide it from him forever." Remus tried to reason with her. Sirius was her boyfriend, wasn't he supposed to know these kinds of things. Hermione looked offended by Remus' words and shook her head.

"Remus, I wouldn't have told you if I didn't have a choice. Sirius and I have been dating for a day, I'd like to spend a bit more time with him before I scare him off," Hermione hissed.

"You couldn't possibly scare Sirius off," Remus said absentmindedly, "You're too wonderful."

The silence between the two lasted for enough time to make things awkward. Remus could feel Hermione's heart beating faster, and he could also feel his face flush, he cleared his throat and broke eye contact.

"Remus, could I ask you something?" Hermione hesitantly asked.

"Anything."

"You're okay, with Sirius and me, right?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "There isn't some side effect that you're dealing with that I don't know about, you know, because of the whole mate thing?" Hermione pressed.

"No, none at all, I'm fine with it Hermione, seriously." Remus half heartedly tried to convince Hermione. No matter how much he wanted to, he wasn't going to come between his friend's relationship.

"Okay, just making sure." Hermione smiled tightly and reached acrossed the table to grab Remus' arm and squeezed. Once their limbs collided, a pleasant feeling ran through both of their bodies, causing Remus to sigh much louder than he thought.

"Do you think that'll er, ever stop?" Hermione stumbled over her words.

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"Nope," Remus answered. He was unable to read her facial expression, but he knew she was probably disappointed. "I'm sorry about this whole mess, hopefully you'll be able to live a normally functional life," Remus apologized.

"Stop it." She angrily told him.

"Stop what?" He defended himself.

"Stop apologizing for things you can't control. Remus its okay, I can handle it; you are not an awful person. You are one of my closest friends, so stop beating yourself up." Hermione said each sentence slowly and choppily, making sure that Remus got the hint. He shook his head.

"Sorry," Remus apologized again. Hermione reached her arm over in intent to swat him, but her arm was stopped mid air. She quickly looked from her arm, to Remus, then back to her arm again.

"Why!" Hermione hissed, "Can't! I!" She tried to swat her arm at him once more, "Hit! You!" She gasped as she slammed her hand down on the table in frustration, and turned angrily towards Remus. He put his arms up in mock surrender.

"I swear I'm not doing anything Hermione," Remus promised. "Maybe it's apart of the whole mate thing, you know, maybe we can't harm each other?" Remus saw Hermione frown at this and slowly nod her head.

"It seems plausible," She began, "Only one way to find out, try and hit me." Remus' jaw dropped. The thought of hurting Hermione in any way made him nauseas. He quickly shook his head no.

"You're crazy, I can't do that."

"Remus! It's not going to hurt me, please." Hermione pleaded, "For me?" She smiled at him. Remus took a deep breath and nodded.

"Here, stick out your arm." Remus ordered. Hermione stuck out her arm and closed one eye, the other open, and waiting for the attack. "Okay...I'll count to three… One..."

"Remus just hit me!" Hermione hissed. Remus cringed as he raised his hand up and as gently as he could bring it down to Hermione's forearm, only to be stopped by an invisible barrier. He looked up at Hermione, quite shocked at what had happened. She had a massive grin on her face and she attacked Remus with a large hug.

"Amazing!" Remus could hear her whisper to herself, "Some type of rare, mate magic, I'm guessing…" Hermione whispered into Remus' neck. Remus wondered if this was responsible for Hermione being unable to throw her snowball at Remus during their snowball fight earlier. It made sense, Remus figured, the most sacred bond in werewolf law would probably have rules and regulations about causing your own mate physical harm. Remus rested his chin on Hermione's head, when he smelled a familiar scent.

"Why is it, whenever I see you two together, you always seem to be so bloody close?" Sirius teased as he sat down on the top of the table. Hermione let out a huff of air and swatted at Sirius, trying to knock him off the table. Once her hand had made contact with Sirius' shoulder, she quickly glanced at Remus, almost as if saying; _at least I can hit someone_.

"Oof!" Sirius yelled as he crashed down onto the hard library floor. Madam Pince shot a mean glare at the trio and the three were sent into silent hysterics.

"What brings you to this neck of the woods? I was under the impression you were allergic to libraries?" Remus smirked at Sirius, who was now balancing a very large and old looking book on top of his head. Remus watched as Hermione cringed and snatched the book from atop Sirius' head.

"No, no, my dear Moony, I'm not allergic to libraries." Sirius waved a finger at Remus, which caused him to crack a smile. No matter how much Remus liked Hermione, he could never do anything to sabotage her relationship with Sirius; he cared for them both too deeply.

"Really? Could've fooled me," Remus turned towards Hermione, "Sirius didn't step a foot into the library until halfway through third year." Remus grinned.

Sirius' eyes narrowed at Remus and he stuck out his tongue. Hermione however, was mortified.

"You didn't come into the library for three and a half years?!" Her eyes were massive, "Why? How? What?" Hermione sputtered, so amazed that she was unable to form coherent sentences. Remus laughed loudly and quickly brought his hand forward to cover his mouth. Madam Pince gave the group another warning glare, and then continued back to work.

Sirius grabbed Hermione around the shoulder and was pulled into a loving embrace. Hermione laughed and wrapped her arms around Sirius and planted a gentle kiss on his lips. Sirius smiled and kissed her deeper, and then whispered something in her ear, which caused the both of them to break out into giggles. Hermione pulled away awkwardly and sent an apologetic glance to Remus, as if saying _sorry forgot you were here._ He shrugged and pretended to look at a book. Remus would have gladly left the library by now, but Sirius was sitting on his book bag, and to try to get it from underneath him now would have been a whole other situation Remus never wanted to get into.

Remus cringed, he could deal with the relationship alright, but did they have to do this all in front of him? He wasn't a fan of PDA to begin with; walking by a couple swallowing each other's faces in between lessons had always annoyed Remus. But right now, it had to be them? This was brutal and Remus was certain it could be considered a secret form of torture.

As Remus watched as his two friends laughed and kiss, the familiar ache returned to his body. At this point, he didn't care if he left his bag; he needed to get out of there. He muttered a goodbye that he was sure the couple hadn't heard and walked out of the library. Once he was alone the ache slowly subsided. Remus paused and leaned against the castle wall. He took a deep breath and slowly slid down the wall. He placed his head between his knees and began inhaling and exhaling. It was that moment that Remus realized that it wasn't always the butterflies that made you realize you were in love, but the pain.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you liked it! In this chapter I tried to show that Remus was still a bit bitter with Sirius and Hermione's relationship, but was coming to terms with it. Hermione is in puppy love, and a bit clueless to Remus, which is why she may seem a bit out of character. Hope you enjoyed, please leave a review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Greetings Everyone! Okay new chapter, hope you enjoy it! I want to clarify something, the reason why Hermione is sent back specifically into 1975 is because that is the year it was created. She couldn't have gone back any further, and to not go back that far would have been wasteful. Dumbledore assigned this to her late in her 6** **th** **year at Hogwarts because he knew that Snape would have to end up killing him because of Voldemort's demands. It was a now or never situation. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter! Please leave a review, they make me SO happy. And thanks for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter Universe**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

The days turned into a week, and then another one. Suddenly Christmas holiday was slowly creeping up, and Hermione missed her old home more than ever. She tried to put these thoughts behind her as she studied in the common room with her dorm mates, but it was difficult.

"I'd try revising your structure Alice; it looks a bit sloppy when you start mentioning the uses Agrippa." Lily told Alice as she flipped through the girl's essay. Hermione glanced up from her own essay and glanced at the red head. She had a permanent frown on her face when she was concentrating; it was something that she noticed right away that Harry also did. She took a deep breath when she thought of Harry.

The only Harry she would know in this time period would be a child. Hermione frowned a bit; he might not even be the same. If all goes according to plan, and Hermione managed to defeat Voldemort and save James and Lily, Harry would be raised with loving family, not people who despised his very existence. He would be raised in the wizarding world and would probably be quite popular, just like his father. Harry would probably lack some of the very qualities that made him Harry. His modest behavior would surely be gone if James was there to raise him, but he'd probably also be a bit more studious if Lily was alive to push him. It'd be for the better, no matter how Harry turned out, Hermione knew for sure.

"What do you think we're going to do in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Marlene brought Hermione out of her thoughts with her question.

"Probably going to go over Giants, I asked Professor Bode about it the other day," Hermione responded, ignoring the fact that the other three giggled at her mention of Professor Bode.

"He's quite cute, Professor Bode." Alice smirked. "Not as cute as Frank, but he comes quite close." Hermione joined in on the laughter this time. She had enjoyed watching Neville's parent's relationship develop over time. From the short time Hermione knew the couple; they had already proved they were very much in love. Hermione would catch them always standing within close proximity of one another, and when possible they were always touching. It wasn't in an annoying kind of touching, but simple innocent kind. Holding hands and a reassuring hand on each other's back was quite common between the two love-birds.

"Hmmm…" Marlene grinned at Alice, "How does Mrs. Alice Longbottom sound." Hermione couldn't help but laugh, Alice would eventually become Mrs. Alice Longbottom, and Frank and her would have a brave son named Neville…And they would be nearly tortured to death…

 _NO!_

Hermione wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't let anyone harm these people. She had the power to protect them, and she was going to use it to its full ability. The words reminded Hermione of her and Dumbledore's office visits. She hadn't had any meetings with him in a few weeks and he rarely showed up to the Great Halls during meals. She knew he was probably working on getting the order together and destroying Horcruxes, but students had begun to notice his frequent absence. Peter even suggested one day that he might be secretly very ill, but Hermione quickly disbarred that rumor by telling Peter that even if Dumbledore was sick, he was also the most powerful wizard of all time and could probably handle himself.

"He knows what he's doing, but I think Professor Bode's a bit rude." Lily retorted. When Alice gasped in disapproval Lily turned around and glared at her.

"Have you forgotten when he completely mortified us on the first day of lessons?" Lily had obviously not forgotten. Alice shrugged, and looked at Marlene and Hermione for help.

"That's true," Marlene giggled, "Lily wouldn't talk in that class for a week." Lily blushed at her words as the other girls giggled. The door to the common room swung open and the Marauders walked in, obviously on their way back from detention, this time it was for charming a group of Hufflepuffs hair to grow at an alarming rate. The boys had thought it was funny, but apparently Professor McGonagall had not, and had given the boys another week of detention with Filch.

"What'd you do today?" Lily lifted an eyebrow, "scrub the toilets?" Hermione and the other three girls joined her in laughter.

"Yeah, with our bare hands!" James smiled as he stuck his hands into the girls' faces, causing them to squeal and duck away.

"What'd they make you do this time?" Hermione asked Sirius as he joined her on the couch.

"Scrub the floors in the hospital wing, without magic. Wasn't all bad though, Filch left halfway through because Peeves was throwing pastries at some portraits." Sirius explained. Hermione nodded. Peeves and the Marauders had some strange alliance, when one of the two was in trouble; the other did their best to bail them out. The Marauders would never admit this aloud of course, the moment they did Peeves would cease to help them ever again. It was more of an unspoken rule.

Hermione stifled a large yawn and stretched out, "I think I should go to bed," she told Sirius. She was having difficulties keeping her eyes open. The words in her text book were starting to blur together, and she knew it would be a matter of time before she passed out.

"Goodnight," Sirius smiled warmly at her, Hermione smiled back and waved to the group who murmured goodbyes back to her.

The next morning came and went, and Hermione found herself alone in the library. She had wanted to do some research on her and Remus' odd ability to not be able to strike one another. Not that she'd ever want to hit Remus; she just found it odd that she couldn't. She began researching until she heard a voice clear their throat behind her.

She spun around and found Regulus Black, nervously looking down at his feet.

"Er, hello." Hermione awkwardly smiled a small, tight, probably unbelievable smile. She wanted to keep things polite between the two, but couldn't forget his harsh words the last time they spoke.

"Hermione," Regulus curtly greeted her. The two stared at each other for a moment, perhaps forgetting to talk, before Hermione cleared her throat. "You say you were homeschooled for a bit?"

"Er, yes." Hermione said wearily, not used to Regulus being so polite. "I was taught by my mother, but she recently passed, so I was sent here."

Regulus thought about this for a moment, "Why didn't you attend Hogwarts to begin with?" The question had been often asked, and Hermione was quite used to answering it.

"My mom thought it best she taught me." Hermione said frankly and Regulus nodded, seemingly convinced with her rather short answer.

"I see," Regulus nodded politely.

"Anything I can help you with?" Hermione offered, the situation was a bit weird.

"I wanted to apologize, for that day in the book shop. I was rude and it wasn't becoming of me." Regulus politely recited to her. Hermione cringed; it sounded as though someone had written him a script and ordered him to read it to her.

"That's, er, alright. I was a bit rude myself," Hermione confessed. Regulus was handsome just like his brother. They both had the same face shape and raven colored hair. Although Regulus wore his much shorter and neater than Sirius; Hermione wondered if that was because his parents. There eye shape was almost identical, but whereas Sirius' eyes were ice blue, Regulus' were a cold chestnut. Both of their body types were similar as well, tall and muscular.

"You and Sirius then," Regulus plainly said. Hermione bleakly nodded, shifting back from one foot to another uncomfortably.

"Yes," Hermione responded.

"Nice," Regulus said coolly. The two stared at each other a moment more until Hermione made a move to leave, things were getting a bit awkward, and she could jut study in her common room.

"Well, goodbye." Hermione politely said as she began stuff her bag full with books. Regulus's stern eyes got wide and let out a barking laugh, one that was so similar to Sirius'.

"I've almost forgotten, Dumbledore wanted me to give you this," Regulus went red as he handed Hermione a piece of parchment shoved neatly inside a letter. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Are you his new owl?" She challenged. Regulus put his hands up defensively and took a step back, his face still remained friendly.

"I was just with him; he probably thought it'd be easier." Regulus explained. Hermione looked at Regulus for another suspicious moment and sighed.

"Alright, well thank you." She finally said. Regulus nodded a response and stalked away.

Why had Dumbledore made Regulus deliver the message? He surely could have found someone else to deliver the message. What if he had opened it then magically resealed it? Then he surely would know her secret now. Hermione sat for a moment in thought when Madam Pince's scolding of a couple of rambunctious second years brought her back. She inspected the letter once more, for all she knew, Lucius Malfoy or Mulciber and Avery set this up for her. It could have been a trap. She turned the envelope over in her hands, it had Dumbledore's seal. And it looked nearly identical to all of the other letters she received from him. Before she could talk herself out of opening it, she tore the envelope open faster than she thought possible, and held the piece of parchment close to her face, preventing someone from looking over the shoulder and reading it too. She looked around the library once more and began to read.

 _Miss Granger,_

 _Meet me in my office after dinner tonight; I have an offer you might be very interested in._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Hermione stared at the piece of parchment, a surprise? Hermione wasn't a fan of them, and Dumbledore was usually one to get to the point. She turned the letter in her hands twice more and bit her lip. She did that when she got anxious, and this letter definitely made her anxiety perk up.

She continued to pack her books away and stalked to the common room, Defense Against the Dark Arts would be starting soon, and Hermione refused to be late. Hermione searched for her friends in the common room, but only found groups of third and fourth years playing exploding snap and gossiping. She frowned and made her way up to her dorm room, where she found an upset Lily sitting on her bed, surrounded by a comforting Alice and an anxious looking Marlene.

"Whats the matter?" Hermione dared to ask. She knew that Lily rarely got upset about juvenile things, and figured it had to of been something of utter importance. Lily rubbed a hand quickly over a tired eye. She wasn't crying, but she looked exhausted and tired. Alice looked over at her for the okay, and Lily nodded.

"Lily was on her way back to the common room when Severus attacked her," Alice explained, Hermione gasped.

Noticing Hermione's gasp, Marlene interrupted. "He didn't actually attack her; he just started pestering her again." Hermione nodded, and Lily spoke up.

"He just won't leave me alone, ever since the incident last year, he'll try to talk to me. He'll beg for my forgiveness and I forgave him a while ago…I can learn to forgive, but I'm not going to forget." Lily firmly stated. "Every once in a while though, I think he misses me, and he gets this idea that if he just talks to me it'll be like nothing ever happened, but it didn't happen. He picked the Slytherins over me. He chose to say those words. How does he expect me to want to be close to him again?" Lily rambled. Hermione could tell that Lily was trying to convince herself more than explain it to the other girls.

"What did he say?" Hermione prodded, taking a seat on her own bed.

"The usual, how he regrets it, how he misses me. But what I absolutely hate the most is that it still upsets me. I hate that I still miss him, even after all he did." Lily spat, "just forget about it, I really don't want the boys to find out he cornered me again." Lily said knowingly.

"What happened the last time?" Hermione curiously asked. Marlene groaned and fell back onto the bed, while Alice's face paled as she remembered; Lily however went a bright red. "Guys, what happened?" Hermione repeated.

"Er, let's just say Snape was in the hospital wing for nearly a whole month," Alice explained.

"A whole month? What did they do to him?!" Hermione horrifyingly gasped, had the Marauders really hurt Snape that bad?

"They won't tell us," Marlene explained, "They said they swore a vow, but I doubt it, probably just told us that to get us off their backs."

"How much trouble did they get in?" Hermione asked, trying to remember to ask Sirius about it later.

"That's the thing!" Alice eagerly said, "They didn't get in any trouble! No one even knows what happened to Snape, it was all kept hushed!"

"Maybe I'll ask Sirius about it," Hermione confessed, "I think he'd tell me." Hermione told the girls. Lily cringe and Alice looked nervously at Marlene.

"What am I missing?" Hermione asked the girls. The girls shifted uncomfortably and then Lily cleared her throat.

"Don't hold your breath Hermione," Lily told her. "Sirius may be dating you, but he's married to the other boys. If all four of them are hiding something, it's not likely they'll tell anyone," sighed Lily. Hermione nodded her head, but on the inside she was surprised by the brutality of Lily's words. She didn't sugar coat things, that's for sure.

It couldn't have been that bad, probably just a prank gone wrong. Hermione knew about 'the prank' that Sirius had pulled on Snape their fifth year. She had remembered Harry explaining to her what happened. But she had a gut feeling that this was something completely different. Harry had told her that his own father had saved Snape's life, so why would Snape have been in the hospital wing for a month. Things didn't quite add up, something else must have happened.

"Oh, okay…" Hermione breathed, she checked her watch and sighed. "We're going to be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts, we better get going."

 _ **Remus' POV**_

"Sirius what's it like mate, being a sworn bachelor for life and then suddenly jumping into a relationship?" James teased from his bed as he opened his hand, releasing a snitch into the air, then instantly snatching it out of the air again.

"You're jealous Prongs, jealous that you don't have what Hermione and I have." Sirius said absentmindedly as he scribbled on a piece of parchment. Remus raised an eyebrow and sat up from his bed. He squinted closer at Sirius and his jaw dropped.

"Sirius Orion Black!" Remus gasped and darted towards Sirius. The raven hair boy looked taken aback and frowned at Remus, and went to put the parchment away, but Remus was too fast. He snatched the parchment and looked at it dumbly.

"Padfoot, I don't believe it. You are doing your homework." Remus smirked as he held the piece of parchment up to show the rest of the boys.

"What?" Peter let out a startling squeal as he fell onto his floor. James burst out into hysterics at Peter, and then promptly rolled off onto the floor himself with a loud thud.

"Homework and Sirius Black in the same sentence? Unheard of!" James stood up and snickered. Sirius flushed red and attempted to elbow James in the stomach, but James quickly stepped out of the way.

"Stop," Sirius warned. His face became bright scarlet, Remus delighted in this moment; it was rare to see Sirius so flustered. "Please, stop." Sirius whined.

"Is a certain lady having an influence on a certain trouble maker?" Remus teased. Sirius gave him a warning look, and Remus laughed. Sirius took a deep breath and then looked at all the boys.

"You deserved this," Sirius said, then took off at full speed towards Remus. Remus' eyes went wide and before he could get out of the way, he was being lifted into the air and then thrown back down. Remus squirmed underneath Sirius, who was pinning him down. James laughed and jumped to his feet, hovering above Remus. Peter crawled to the scene, barely able to breathe from laughing so hard.

"APOLOGIZE MOONY!" Sirius demanded.

"NEVER!" Remus wiggled underneath him, knowing what was coming.

"MOONY! DON'T MAKE ME DO THIS!" Sirius bellowed, "SAY YOU'RE SORRY!" Remus shook his head defiantly.

"BLOODY HELL MOONY! LISTEN TO THE MAN!" James screamed from above.

"Never!" Remus spat. Sirius shook his head, and then began viciously tickling Remus. He squirmed from underneath Sirius, a weak attempt at trying to escape. It was a well known fact among the four boys that Remus was extremely ticklish. Whenever they had to pressure Remus into doing something, they'd always threaten to tickle him.

"Stop!" Remus gasped for air in between laughter, "Please."

"Say you're sorry!" Sirius demanded, not letting up on the tickling. Remus giggled harder than ever, he really hated tickling.

"Sorry!" Remus laughed.

"And that Sirius Orion Black is the best at everything, and is my idol, and I worship every move he makes! He is the most important wizard in this generation, and will probably save humanity!" Sirius yelled at Remus. Remus snorted, typical egotistical Sirius Black.

"Sirius-" Remus laughed hard, "Orion Black-" more laugher, " is the best" Remus took a big gulp of air, "worship every move he makes." Remus cried. "Most-important wizard-this generation, probably save humanity!" Remus finished. Sirius tickled him from a moment longer and then seemingly satisfied, stood up. Remus rolled on the ground a moment more. He stood up and wiped the tears from laughter away.

"I really hate tickling." Remus spat at the other boys, who began laughing quite loudly again.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review and thank you so so SOO much for reading, you guys don't understand how happy I get when I see one of you review and tell me you enjoy what I do. Writing is still REALLY new for me, I don't usually do this kind of thing, but you all are making me fall in love. I plan on supplying numerous Remione and Sirmione stories to the collection…MUAHHAHAHAHA**

 **Anyways I hope you liked it and thank you so much for reading. You guys rock!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Greetings Everyone! This chapter flowed super easily to me, I'm not sure why, but it was just super smooth, I hope you like it. I tried to get a lot from Remus' POV, because I know I have been lacking in that department, so hopefully after this chapter ends, you guys will be a bit more satisfied!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter universe.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Later that day the Gryffindor's found themselves in Defense Against the Dark Arts, learning about Giants.

"Who can tell me," Professor Bode began, "what the leader of a Giant tribe is called?"

Hermione's hand was the first to shoot into the air, nearly scaring Lily half to death in shock.

"Yes, Hermione, please go on." Professor Bode smiled down at the bushy haired girl. Hermione beamed, and nodded her head.

"The leader of a Giant's tribe is called a Gurg, however Giants aren't naturally supposed to live in tribes, it's not in their nature. But since they are racing towards extinction they are forced to live in large numbered groups," Hermione explained, she had read the chapter already and could answer nearly any question he asked her immediately. Professor Bode eagerly nodded his head.

"Well done Hermione," He beamed at the entire class, "5 points to Gryffindor." Hermione sat a bit higher. When she started answering questions right in class, Mulciber and Avery had made an effort to put a stop to it. But Hermione didn't listen, and whenever she earned points for her house, she thought back to the moment where Mulciber spat on her, and how she kept proving him wrong.

The rest of class passed in a similar fashion. The students were assigned to write a foot of parchment on Giants, which was accepted with loud, audible groans throughout the class. Hermione walked out of the room hand in hand with Sirius and off to dinner

"Wonder if Dumbledore will be here today?" Sirius questioned under his breath.

"I think he'll be," Hermione smiled mischievously, obviously knowing he was going to be at Hogwarts today considering they had a meeting after dinner.

"Why do I always feel like you know something I don't?" Sirius smirked down at her and winked. Hermione shrugged and giggled.

"Hmm…I'm not sure, witch's intuition perhaps?" She said thoughtfully. Sirius rolled his eyes and brought her into a hug and then let go of her once they reached the table. Sirius began an avid discussion with James about their next quidditch game when Remus caught Hermione's eye.

"You haven't told him yet?" He questioned quietly with a raised eyebrow. Hermione shook her head.

"I'm going to Remus, I promise." She reached acrossed the table and grabbed Remus' hand and squeezed it.

As Dumbledore walking into the Great Hall, Sirius let out a loud whining noise, "How do you know everything!" He asked Hermione "Is my girlfriend a Seer? Because I really think I should know if my girlfriend is a Seer," Sirius accused. Hermione shook her head and smirked.

Once the feast appeared before their eyes, the students dug in. Hermione liked observing how students ate. Sirius and James, both from wealthy pureblood families, ate with a lack of delicacy. Maybe it was their idea of protesting normal pureblood manners, but whenever it was possible to eat with their hands, they did. Peter was like a human vacuume. The Marauder enjoyed food more than Ron did, and that made Peter endearing to Hermione. Remus on the other hand, liked to rip his food apart in smaller pieces, and then nibble on the food piece by piece. Hermione wondered if this was his inner wolf shining through, and made a mental note to ask him about it later.

When Hermione finished eating she bid her farewells.

"I'm going to go to the library for a bit," She told the group, who knew that this was typical Hermione behavior.

"Want me to come with you?" Sirius offered. Hermione shook her head.

"No, that's okay. I'm just going to be doing a bit of refreshing for our Transfiguration essay," Hermione knew that once she got into depth of what she had planned, Sirius would more than likely become disinterested and let her be. She waved to the group and headed for Dumbledore's office.

She was startled when an arm landed on her shoulder, and whipped her around.

"Meeting with Dumbledore?" Remus asked, looking around nervously to make sure no one overheard.

"Yeah, he says he has something I might be interested in. So maybe he has a Horcrux for me to destroy," Hermione confessed. Remus nodded thoughtfully and opened his mouth to speak.

"Look, I know I've been a bit bitter about you and Sirius," He confessed. Hermione's eyes went wide, she knew he had been acting a bit weird since her and Sirius had become a couple and their was an awkward tension no one could really place, but Hermione didn't expect Remus to admit that much to her. Remus took a deep breath and continued.

"But, I want you to know that it's probably just the whole protective mate thing happening. I know that you're happy, and I know that Sirius is happy, and that's all that really matters right?" Remus asked as he walked Hermione to Dumbledore's office.

"Remus," Hermione turned to him, "Are you happy?"

Remus hesitated a moment then nodded, "Yeah, I suppose I am." Hermione bit her lip and attacked him with a large hug.

"I'm sorry I brought you into this entire mess and I'm sorry this sucks so bad but I promise I'm going to make things better." Hermione said into his sweater. Remus held her tightly and rested his chin on her head.

"Please don't apologize," he murmured. Hermione couldn't help but laugh softly at his words, just the other day she had been begging him the same exact thing. Once they reached Dumbledore's office, Hermione turned to face him.

"Remus, we need to have a pitty party for ourselves." She told him. Remus laughed and cocked an eyebrow.

"A pitty party?" He questioned.

"You know, a party where we just eat a ton of chocolate and complain about how tough our lives are," Hermione teased as she poked him in stomach. Remus recoiled from the touch and laughed.

"Oh, sensitive now are we?" Hermione said as she poked him once more in the stomach, then a second time.

"Do not," He warned, "Do that." Remus' pale eyes almost seemed brighter as he spoke to her.

Hermione laughed again and darted out her hands too tickle him again. Remus was quicker however, and grabbed both of her hands and forced them out to the sides to avoid her attack. Their faces were only inches apart, and Hermione could hear Remus's heart beating fast. His eyes glanced from her eyes down to her lips, and Hermione thought for a moment he was going to kiss her.

"Ah! Miss Granger, I see you're here!" Dumbledore called from behind them. Hermione jerked away from Remus and faced her headmaster. Dumbledore smiled down at the duo with his blue eyes twinkling. He smile and ran a wrinkled hand threw his beard, and then adjusted his crescent moon spectacles.

"Mr. Lupin, perhaps it is wise that you join us as well?" Dumbledore asked as he walked up the steps to his office. Hermione followed Dumbledore up a few steps before turning around to see Remus frozen to the same spot. She waved him on and gave him a glance that said, _Hurry up!_ Once Remus was caught up, Hermione rounded the corner to Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore had already sat down at his seat, and in front of him, low and behold was Severus Snape.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

 _Oh Merlin…Oh No…._

Remus' instincts told him to get out of their immediately. Snape had known his secret as a werewolf, and after 'the prank' Sirius had pulled on the boy, Snape had always hated Remus deeply. Remus often wondered if Snape had thought Remus was in on the prank, and had wanted to hurt him along with Sirius.

That was the furthest from the truth.

Remus had been terrified the next morning when James had explained to him what happened. He had even hated Sirius for a short while. He could have hurt someone, he could have _killed_ someone. Sirius didn't know how much of a fool he had been until he talked to Remus the next morning. Remus was a wreck, sobbing and vomiting from how disgusted he was at the incident. To almost be betrayed by ones friends was the worst feeling Remus had ever felt. He couldn't imagine what his future self must have thought when he thought that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily.

But Remus forgave Sirius, for they were brothers, and it was the four Marauders against the world. Remus had yet to forget the hateful looks Snape sent him all throughout the rest of last year, though. Remus had wanted to talk to Snape, to apologize and explain the situation. But it seemed that even admitting that he was a werewolf to the Slytherin was enough to make Remus chicken out every single time.

As much as Remus wanted to run from the room and to the safe confinements of his dorm room, he stayed frozen. As if reading his anxiety, which when Remus thought about, she probably was, Hermione reached out for Remus' hand and squeezed it tight. Remus squeezed back and Hermione turned and looked at him. She gave him a small nod that told him everything was going to be alright and to trust Dumbledore. But Remus had a hard time trusting people.

"Sit down Mr. Lupin, Miss Granger." Dumbledore smiled at the pair. The two glanced between each other and sat down. Remus was thankful that Hermione took the initiative to sit in between him and Snape.

"Tea?" Dumbledore offered. The three shook their heads no and Dumbledore sighed.

"It seems everyone keeps rejecting my tea. Maybe you want…" Dumbledore paused, "That muggle drink….Soda-Pop?" Dumbledore asked.

Remus' mother was a muggle and he vaguely knew that a 'soda-pop' was; a carbonated, fizzy drink, filled with sugar. Hermione must have known exactly what Dumbledore was talking about and stifled a small nervous laugh. Remus looked over at Snape, whose expression stayed the same.

"Alright, then. No Soda-pop I take it? Oh well, perhaps next time then." Dumbledore said kindly to the three teenagers. "Off to business. Miss Granger, I trust you remember our conversation about the Wolfsbane potion?" Dumbledore asked Hermione. Remus' stomach clenched and he was sweating profusely, he knew where this was going.

"Yes Sir, I do." Hermione, polite as usual responded. Remus could see her brow furrow, and she looked from Dumbledore to Snape at a rapid pace.

"Ah, perfect. Mr. Snape has kindly offered to help you brew the potion," Dumbledore announced. Snape snorted and even though Remus had seen it coming, he could feel himself shake with nerves. Snape hated him, who's to say he wouldn't poison the drinks on purpose to get back at the Marauders.

"Wow," Hermione's jaw dropped she frantically turned to Snape, "Thank you so much Severus, I know-"

"Save it, Granger." Snape interrupted. Hermione's smile faded a bit and Remus let out a low guttural growl. The wolf inside him screaming, clawing to get out.

 _Help Mate!_

 _HELP HER!_

Moony screamed at his counterpart. Remus stomach spun in circles. He knew Hermione wasn't actually hurt, but Snape snapped at her, and Remus could nearly sense her emotions. He fought the urge to hex Snape and turned to Dumbledore.

"Snape offered?" Remus repeated. Dumbledore let out a small laugh and then turned to Snape.

"Very kind, I agree." Dumbledore nodded. Snape's face contorted into a surly expression. Remus took a deep breath. If Hermione was there with Snape every step of the way, Remus had nothing to worry about right? He however didn't like the idea of Hermione alone with Snape. He didn't trust him one bit after what happened last year.

"When shall we get started then?" Hermione eagerly asked Dumbledore. The old wizard ran one long, bony, hand through his beard and tilted his head.

"Perhaps after Christmas Holidays, I should have all of the ingredients by then, I think. Miss Granger, since you'll be staying here for Christmas break, you'll be able to get a fine head start on it?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Yes, I should."

"Wonderful. After Christmas break wait for an owl to tell both of you where you'll be meeting." Dumbledore concluded.

"Thank you all, you three are quite the talented wizards and witch." Dumbledore's blues eyes had shown bright from behind his small glasses. Remus watched as Hermione blushed, and Severus' lip snarled up in anger. Before Remus could even stand up, Snape was out the door, headed for his common room.

"Sir," Hermione spoke up to Dumbledore after Snape had left.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Severus didn't volunteer, did he?" Hermione's voice quivered, something Remus thought was odd.

"I'm afraid it took some convincing Miss Granger, but Severus will be of great use to you." Dumbledore promised. Remus and Hermione both nervously nodded and waved their goodbyes, once they were in the hallway, Hermione turned to Remus.

"Are you alright?" She suddenly asked, as she grabbed a hand and lead him behind a corner into a spare room.

"Er, I'm not sure," Remus replied. And he wasn't, he wasn't fond of the idea that someone who despised his very existence would be making him a potion once a month. The thought actually terrified him. Hermione cupped his head in between his hands and nodded her head.

"It'll be okay, I know you and Severus don't get along, but he would never disobey Dumbledore." Hermione calmly told Remus. "He's a git, but he's not a complete idiot." Remus let out a nervous laugh.

"I don't like it," Remus mumbled. Hermione looked at him with sadness in her eyes.

"Remus, the full moon will be so much better, please-" She was interrupted when Remus let out a low chuckle.

"Not that," He said with a small smirk, "I'm quite fond with the idea that I'll have some control during the full moon." Hermione looked at him questiongly, obviously confused.

"I don't like that you'll be working with him alone," Remus explained through gritted teeth. Hermione tilted her head.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked him, her chocolate colored eyes were wide.

"The wolf," Remus referred to his alter ego, "The wolf _really_ hates the idea of Snape and you alone." Remus emphasized. Hermione slowly nodded, then looked away and blushed.

"Is it; er is he, really that possessive?" Hermione wondered.

"Yes," Remus said shortly. That was the truth; Remus had to fight tooth and nail whenever Hermione and Sirius were acting all 'coupley' around him. But he'd do it for his best friends.

"Oh," Hermione sighed, "Maybe you wanted to join us then?" Hermione offered.

 _Yes!_

The wolf quite liked the idea of supervising the potion making, but Remus was not quite so sure.

"I don't think Snape would appreciate me watching his every move," Remus said shortly. Hermione let out more nervous laughter.

"I honestly could care less what Snape feels, he has to help; Dumbledore's made sure of it," Hermione reminded Remus.

"Please come, I don't want to make you uncomfortable." Hermione pleaded. Remus found the last statement a bit ironic, because her entire relationship with Sirius made him quite uncomfortable, but nodded his head anyways.

"Okay, that will make him feel better." Remus chuckled, even if she was clueless, at least she was trying.

"Remus, can I ask you something?" Hermione bit her lip anxiously and looked up at the tall boy. Remus nodded his head for her to continue, so Hermione did.

"The girls were telling me, that last year something happened between the Marauders and Snape." Hermione began. Remus thought he knew where this was going.

"You're from the future, how don't you know what Sirius did?" Remus spat bitterly. Hermione shook her head no and placed her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to listen.

"No, not that. I know about that and I think it is the worst thing anyone could ever do, trust me Remus." Hermione looked him directly in the eyes. "I'm talking about what happened after, the girls were telling me that Snape was in the hospital wing for nearly a month the last time you guys found out he had been trying to talk to Lily. I just want to know if Sirius did some horrible thing I should be upset about. I know he gets angry and confused and sometimes feels a bit lost, but I need to know if he did something horrible." Hermione pleaded, "Er, other than 'the prank.'" Hermione added hastily.

Remus paled, he knew exactly what she was talking about, and she had gotten it completely wrong.

"Hermione no, it's not at all what you think." Remus began to explain. "Maybe you should ask Sirius about it, he was more involved than me."

"Of course he was! Sometimes I don't think the boy has a decent head on his shoulders!" Hermione said mostly to herself, but Remus grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him.

"Hermione, listen. It's not at all what you think it is. Please, just go ask him, I wasn't even there for it, only the aftermath." Remus tried to explain. Hermione glared at him once more than reluctantly nodded.

"Okay, I'll ask Sirius." Hermione confirmed, nodding her head,

"Hermione, you're staying at Hogwarts for holiday?" Remus suddenly asked, it had been on his mind ever since Dumbledore had mentioned it at the meeting.

"Yeah, I haven't got anywhere else to go, have I?" Hermione responded dumbly.

"Oh, alright," Remus thought on it. If there wasn't a full moon over holidays, Remus would have just invited her to his house, but he didn't think that would be such a good idea. "Maybe you could come us visit at James' house for a day or two; usually we all go there towards the end of break. Or maybe we could all meet in Hogsmeade." Remus offered, he hated the thought of Hermione spending Christmas alone.

"Oh, I'll talk to the other boys and see," Hermione smiled at Remus. She then promptly stood on her tippy toes and planted a kiss on Remus' cheek before turning and walking out. Remus held a hand up to the cheek that was momentarily kissed and let out a loud groan.

~Until Next Time~

 **How'd you like this chapter? I really liked writing it. Anyways please leave a review on what you think! I just want to thank everyone who has left reviews, you guys are amazing and great and awesome! Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Greetings everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter. I know a lot of you are getting impatient with the whole Remus x Hermione relationship, trust me I am too. But I want them to get close as friends before anything else happens. And don't worry, soon(ish) Hermione will see the light.**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter universe,**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione had no idea what Remus meant by telling her to ask Sirius about the incident last year. She was hoping that Sirius wasn't involved, she didn't want to find out he hexed Snape so bad he almost killed him, even _after_ what had happened with 'the prank.'

Hermione didn't think that Sirius would be daft enough to do something so stupid within such a short period of time, but she also honestly had no idea what it could be. As she stalked back to the common room, she passed a few underclassmen that glanced up at her with admiration and respect, and maybe even the slightest bit of fear. It seemed anyone who was friends with the Marauders was treated like royalty among the younger students. However it made sense, James was one of the most popular boys at Hogwarts, along with Sirius. They both were handsome, charismatic, smart and athletic; a lethal combination for a couple of reckless teenagers. Everyone seemed to enjoy the Marauders' constant pranks and jokes, omit the people the constant pranks and jokes were pulled on.

When she reached the Fat Lady, Hermione murmured the password.

"Dundlebug," Hermione absentmindedly told the portrait. The Fat Lady let out an exasperated sigh and swung the portrait open, earning Hermione access.

"You're up," Hermione jumped in surprise as she saw Sirius sitting on the coach, a book in his hand, and what looked like a piece of parchment. "And you're reading," Hermione smirked and sat down next to him. Sirius raised an eyebrow and shifted over to make room for her.

"How was the library?" Sirius tightly asked. Hermione inspected Sirius, his body language was reading oddly to her. He was turned a bit away from her, and he was stiff.

"Good," Hermione said slowly, "Sirius is something wrong?" Hermione asked, Sirius turned to her and waved the piece of parchment.

 _Oh no…_

Hermione knew what that was…The Marauders Map… He had known that she wasn't in the library when he checked it.

 _Crap._

"This," Sirius began, "Is a secret." Hermione nodded her head as Sirius continued, "Don't tell anyone."

"I won't," Hermione promised, a small smirk erupting onto her face even though she could tell Sirius was upset with her.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Sirius clarified, as he tapped the wand once on the parchment. Hermione watched as it came to life, the map of the castle.

"We made it," Sirius explained motioning towards their nicknames listed at the top of the parchment. "It can track everyone who attends Hogwarts throughout the castle…It still has a few bugs we're working on… but so far it's been quite accurate." Sirius looked at Hermione darkly.

"Why'd you lie?" Sirius blatantly asked. Hermione could feel her brow sweating and she shifted uncomfortably.

"Sirius-," She began, but was interrupted.

"She knows Sirius," Remus' voice called from behind her. Hermione jumped at his voice and turned around to face Remus. "She knows about me being a werewolf, and Dumbledore was asking her and Snape to help, that's why I was with her on the map, Sirius." Hermione froze; she couldn't believe Remus just bailed her out completely like that. Sirius gaped from one another, and then let out a sigh of relief.

"You found out?" Sirius wondered, "Didn't take your long did it?" Hermione nodded and looked at Remus who nodded once back at her, as if giving her permission to lie.

"How're you and Snape going to help?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

"We're going to try to make a potion to make it easier for Remus to control himself," Hermione explained to Sirius. Sirius looked at Remus and let out a pitted sighed.

"Hermione, I know you are like the most brilliant girl in all of Hogwarts, but we've tried, we've all tried." Sirius explained sadly. "Even the smartest wizards of our time couldn't figure it out. It's awesome that you want to help Hermione, we all do. But it's nearly impossible."

"Sirius, what if I told you that there was a way?" Hermione asked Sirius, trying not to give too much away; she still wasn't ready to tell Sirius.

"You're sure then? It'll work?" Sirius asked sensibly.

"It might take a few tries, but the potion we'll be working on will make it so Remus can keep his mind when he's in his wolf form." Hermione explained to her boyfriend. Sirius still looked hesitantly at Hermione but reluctantly nodded.

"What if it hurts him? What if you make it wrong? What if Snape poisons Moony?" Sirius asked frantically; Hermione could feel his heart racing. "I don't trust that git a bit!"

"Yeah, what if it kills him," Remus said sarcastically and waved his hand in front of Sirius' face. "You're talking about me like I'm not here Padfoot," Remus reminded his friend. Hermione watched as Sirius relaxed a bit and laughed.

"I won't let Severus mess with it, I promise." Hermione explained as she reached a hand out to Sirius and squeezed it. Sirius sighed and nodded his head.

"Okay, but, how do you even know how to make it? Why do you think _this_ will work if nothing else has?" Sirius' spat the questions out one after the other

"I know Sirius, just trust me please. And it will work," Hermione looked over at Remus, who was standing uncomfortably, "I promise," She spoke as she held eye contact with Remus.

"How do you know how?" Sirius pressed. His brows were furrowed together with worry. Hermione looked at him seriously for a moment then let out a small sigh.

You don't want me to ask questions," Sirius added blankly and Hermione cringed.

"Sirius, I'll tell you, I promise, not yet though." Hermione anxiously said, hoping that Sirius would be patient.

"Does he know?" Sirius motioned towards Remus. Hermione noted that Remus was giving her a _told you so_ look and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, he knows, but I didn't want to tell him, it just kind of happened." Hermione tried to explain. She could tell Sirius had been a bit hurt by her comment, but said nothing. She hoped he would handle this maturely and not be jealous of Remus, but Sirius was unpredictable. Very lovable, yes. But oh so unpredictable.

"I understand. I won't pressure you into telling me." Sirius finally spoke after a moment.

" _You won't!?"_ Remus and Hermione both gasped at the same time. This was very Un-Sirius like. But the raven haired wizard just nodded his head slowly.

"It can't be that bad can it?" Sirius let out a half hearted joke, "You'll tell me when you're ready." He reached for Hermione's hand and held it tight, which caused a wide smile to creep up on Hermione's face.

"Thank you Sirius," Hermione said as he pulled her into a hug. Once they released Hermione looked over to Remus and then sighed.

"Sirius, I need to ask you a question, and I need you to be honest with me." Hermione told the boy. Sirius cocked an eyebrow and Remus took a deep breath.

"You can ask questions but I can't" Sirius asked half jokingly, but when Hermione's face remained stern he stop smirking, "What is it?"

"What did you lot do to Snape last year?" Hermione asked, Sirius paled and looked over to Remus who nodded once. "Why was he in the hospital wing for so long? D-did you hurt h-him?" Hermione softly asked, "P-please just tell m-me. I'm going crazy not knowing."

Sirius looked wide eyed at Hermione and then looked at Remus.

"Hermione, I hate the git, more than you'd know, but I didn't do a bloody thing to him." Sirius explained. "Remus was in the hospital wing, it was after a, er, full moon, and we were on our way to go see him, we ran into Lily, and she was crying in the hallway. She told us that Snape had tried to talk to her again, and he wouldn't leave her alone, kept begging for forgiveness. Once we took her back to the common room we went out to find Snape." Sirius inhaled he looked at Hermione and shook his head. Hermione knew that Snape had bugged Lily to a point of frustrating her, but Hermione could never imagine Lily Evans crying in the hallway because of Severus Snape.

"We were pissed, all three of us, James of course the most because he hates Snape the more than anything; there was no stopping him. We looked for Snape all over the castle, we wanted to teach him a lesson, give him a few good hexes to just remind him to stay away from Evans. And when we found him, he was laying in the hallway getting the absolute shit beaten out of him. The Slytherin's supposedly heard he was trying to become Lily's friend again, and they didn't like it. They hurt him pretty bad, physically and mentally. They used dark hexes that I'm damn sure are illegal, we didn't see them, but after seeing Snape…It had to of been."

"Peter starting crying the moment we saw him, James scared the rest of the Slytherins away and then we got him to the hospital wing…You go so long hating someone, and you forget their human too…I thought he was going to die, James did too… Once we got to the hospital wing Remus was furious, he thought we did it. He started yelling at me the moment he saw us walking in. Snape was unconscious the whole time, so he only found out it was us who saved him when Dumbledore told him. Somehow I think it made him resent us even more." Sirius explained.

Hermione's jaw dropped, they had saved Snape _again?_ And from fellow Slytherins? It was almost unbelievable. Reading her doubtful expression Remus piped up.

"It's true Hermione," He said.

"I- I don't know what to say," Hermione honestly said, she was now curled up onto the couch staring at the first boy as she listened to the story.

"After that, he was in the hospital wing for nearly a month. It was rough, Lily had been furious at James for the longest time, she thought he did to avenge her," Sirius laughed darkly and Remus cringed. "James would never do something like that. We play our fair share of pranks, and we hex the underclassmen, but nothing like that. Never like that." Sirius said, obviously the Slytherins had crossed some sort of line that the Marauders had set.

"Why didn't you tell Lily, she would have understood," Hermione had to asked, "It might have even made her like James more."

"Wasn't our place to tell," Remus cut in shortly.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," Hermione spoke after a moment of silence.

"Its fine," Sirius told her.

"Who were the Slytherins that did it?" Hermione asked. Sirius shrugged.

"We didn't get a good look at them; we were too busy being mortified by Snape. I doubt it was Mulciber or Avery, they're vile, but not like that." Sirius responded. "All James saw as he chased them down were their green robes."

"We were thinking it was probably Lucius Malfoy and all of his henchmen, he was a 7th year last year, all caught up in dark magic probably." Remus added.

"What did Dumbledore do?" Hermione wondered.

"He couldn't do much, just told us he'd look into it." Sirius said. Hermione frowned; surely Dumbledore could have done _something_.

"And did the whole school not realize Snape was gone for that amount of time?" Hermione asked.

"Rumors spread that's for sure," Sirius told her, "But it was quickly old news, people only care about what's interesting _now_."

Hermione was speechless. What could she say to that? Remus let out a loud yawn.

"That's enough for tonight I think, Sirius." He told his friend as he clapped a hand on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius yawned as well and reached out to hug Hermione.

"Goodnight, I hope I didn't scare you off too much." Sirius murmured into Hermione's ear. Hermione shook her head, Sirius couldn't scare her off.

"G'night," She told him as she kissed him on the lips. "G'night Remus," Hermione said with a small wave. Remus waved back and Hermione walked up the stairs to all asleep onto her bed. Trying to take in what the boy had just told her.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Christmas Holiday was one week away, and Remus Lupin had yet to buy a Christmas present for his friends. Fortunately for Remus, Hogsmeade was the perfect place to by a present and even more fortunately Hermione would be joining him.

"Can't believe that boy has got himself locked in all day scrubbing trophies again." Hermione muttered to Remus as they headed out of the castle. "Sirius always has detention," She grumbled.

"At least you'll be able to get him a present?" Remus offered, Hermione grumbled but didn't disagree with Remus' opinion. Sirius, James and Peter were stuck in detention for getting caught sneaking out after curfew. Remus wasn't with them that night, due to the fact that he was serving detention with Filch for accidentally stepping on Mrs. Norris' tail. Remus hadn't meant too, but the cat yowled down the corridor for Filch, and he was convinced Remus was trying to attack her.

"Hermione, have you figure out if you're leaving for break?" Remus looked down at Hermione. She had to be about a foot shorter than him. She wore a wool hat that was fitted to her head and made her wild hair stick out greatly around the rest of her head. Her pale cheeks were flushed red from the brutal cold, and her brown eyes were watering just slightly. Remus' eyes however were drawn to her hands, which were clad in a pair of his mittens. He didn't remember her taking them or borrowing them, but he liked the fact that she was wearing his clothing.

"No, I would love to visit you lot over break, but I think it's probably best that I stay here, you know? I can probably get ahead on a lot of my homework…" Hermione thought aloud. Remus cringed, he had hoped Hermione wasn't going to ignore the extended invitation he had told her about.

"Oh, maybe we could all meet up at Hogsmeade for a day or two then?" Remus looked at her for acceptance. Hermione eagerly nodded her head.

"That would be lovely; I'll miss everyone a lot." Hermione admitted.

"Why don't you just go with James and Sirius, they'd love to have you with them for Christmas." Remus pleaded. Hermione smirked and elbowed him in the ribs.

"And you would hate to have me for Christmas, huh?" She teased.

"Yes, it would be one of biggest displeasures in the world," He said dryly and they both began to laugh.

"It'll be okay Remus, it's just Christmas, I'll be spending it with Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn," Hermione laughed. Remus pictured McGonagall in a Santa hat, passing out presents to the rest of the teaching staff and joined her in laughing. They made their way to Hogsmeade and were greeted with a loud, small, wizard who was selling bright red Christmas roses. He was shouting at a couple of wizards in front of them, waving his small arms frantically. Once they passed by they heard the man cackle.

"Oi! Beautiful roses for your beautiful girly-friend," The small man sneered at the duo. Remus' first instinct was to grab Hermine by the arm and drag her away, but he didn't want to seem like a fool.

"She's not my girlfriend," Remus informed the man politely and kept walking. Before he could get very far however, Remus was stopped by the man's sneers.

"She's too pretty to be you're girly-friend, ay mate? Those scars look quite ugly!"The man yelled at the two. Remus wasn't offended by the man's words. He knew that physical appearance was the least of his worries, and Sirius and Lily often reassured him that he was quite cute, so he wasn't bothered by the man's harsh words. Hermione however, tore away from Remus' arm and stormed off to face the small wizard.

"Oi! Look! She left him too! She's also bright-," Remus was unaware of what the man was going to say next, because Hermione's fist coolly connected with his face, knocking the small wizard to the ground.

"Bloody witch!" The man screeched as he covered his nose that was now oozing out blood. Remus' eyes went wide and he grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her into the nearest store.

"Hermione," was all Remus said. His jaw was dropped and he couldn't believe what had just happened. "You shouldn't have done that…"

"I'm sorry I embarrassed you Remus, but he was such a little git!" Hermione spat, her face flushed. Remus could hear her heart beat starting to return to its natural pace. "I got so angry when he insulted you; I would've done worse if we weren't in public. Something… I felt so mad…So unlike myself… I hated that man with everything I had." Hermione muttered more to herself than to Remus. Remus stuck a mitten clad hand out to Hermione's face and tilted her chin so she was looking up at him.

"I- uh, felt that way the other day." He admitted to Hermione. Her jaw dropped and he continued. "When we were meeting with Dumbledore and Snape. Snape said something that was rude, and I don't think you were all too upset with it, it's Snape, what do you expect? But I was so furious, I- the only thing keeping me from hexing him was Dumbledore sitting right in front of us." Remus explained. Hermione's face was scrunched into a frown, she did this when she was thinking, Remus noted.

"Maybe it's a part of the whole, mate thing, ya know?" Hermione offered. Remus nodded in consideration, it very well could have been a factor in them being mates.

"Perhaps," Remus sighed and looked around the store for the first time, it was Zonko's. He was so deep in conversation with Hermione he hadn't noticed how busy the store was, probably full of all the late holiday shoppers.

"Zonkos…" Hermione muttered under her breath, "I could probably get the three boys their gifts here, right?" Hermione asked. Remus eyebrow quirked up.

"The three boys? Not my present?"

"Don't be silly Remus, I already have yours."

"You do?" Remus asked shocked.

"Yes, Remus I do. You _are_ my best friend. Or have you forgotten?" Hermione beamed up at Remus who blushed bright red, partly because he did not have Hermione's present yet, and partly because he still had no idea on what to get her.

"How about, we split up for a little bit?" Hermione offered, perhaps reading Remus' worried look.

"That's a good idea," Remus nodded. They both smiled at each other once more before taking off in the other direction. Remus had known exactly what to get the other three boys. Socks. An abundance of socks. Remus had the nasty habit of stealing the other boy's wool socks when the seasons would get colder, so he was off to replenish his friends' supplies with. To most people, getting your best mates socks would seem like an extremely lame and dull gift. But Remus knew that Sirius liked to charm his to warm his feet when it got cold, and that James liked when his socks changed color, and Peter like his socks to be quite breathable, because he sweated easily. It would be easy enough to charm the socks accordingly, Remus thought.

Once he visited the clothing store up the street a bit, he had to find gifts for Marlene, Alice, and Lily. He had thought candy should do the trick, so he headed off to Honeydukes. With bags of candy in one hand, and bags of socks in the other, Remus found he didn't know where to go to purchase Hermione's present. He knew she'd appreciate anything he bought her, but he wanted to make it something she really enjoyed. She had plenty of books, and Remus knew that she'd probably receive plenty more this year, so he ruled that out. He thought jewelry may be to intimate so decided against that as well. He thought maybe candy, but that seemed too casual. Then, an idea struck him.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you liked it! Please review, it means a lot to me when you do! I love reading them and they just make me want to write so much faster/more! Thanks so much for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Greetings Everyone! New chapter, hope you enjoy! As always PLEASE leave a review, reading them makes my day! And I want to thank everyone for reading this… It means so much that people actually like this!**

 **Also, a few people have been asking me my uploading schedule, and in truth I don't really have one. I put up my chapter after as soon as I'm done editing it!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter Universe**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Christmas morning had Hermione feeling more lonely and isolated than she had ever felt before. Waking up in a dormitory that was completely empty and walking around a castle that was just as empty was a feeling Hermione never wanted to experience again in her life. The only solace in this mere desolation was the pile of gifts from her friends. They had all arrived over night and sat in a pile at the end of her bed. Hermione wasn't grateful that she had received things, but she was grateful that her friends cared enough about her to do it. Hermione smiled sadly and ripped open the present closest to her, which was from Peter. In the box, filled to the absolute brim were Sugar Quills, Hermione's favorite candy, and a letter from Peter.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _Merry Christmas! I hope you are not too lonely at the castle, usually a few other students stay back so maybe you could make new friends? I'm going to be flooing to James' house the day after Christmas along with Remus. Sirius is already there as you know and I think we plan on popping into Hogsmeade to visit you! We wish you would've come with us during the holiday. See you soon!_

 _Pete_

Hermione smiled at Peter's letter and held it close to her heart, then sighed deeply. Peter had truly changed since she first met him. He had been a bit awkward and unsure of himself, but now he flourished into a confident young wizard. Hermione knew she had a pretty big influence on that. Once she started treating Peter with a decent amount of respect, the other three Marauders did in return. Not that they didn't respect their friend to begin with, they just showed more respect and better treatment of him now. Hermione was nearly certain Peter wouldn't betray anyone now.

The next present Hermione grabbed was from Marlene. It was wrapped in wrapping paper that changed color and Hermione carefully unfolded it, not wanting to ruin the magic. With great precision, Hermione finished unwrapping the present without any causality, and to her surprise there was a brown leather journal. A piece of parchment fell out of it onto the ground and Hermione picked it up and began to read.

 _Hermione,_

 _Ever since you came to Hogwarts you have been a great friend. I was so sad to here that you would be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas Holiday's this year. Maybe next year you will come back with one of the girls. I miss you dearly and cherish our friendship completely. As for an explanation of the present, I love to write in journals. I figure you may or may not share the same passion, but wanted to get you one nonetheless. When you become famous it will be easier to write a memoir about your life with a journal you write in everyday. Merry Christmas Hermione!_

 _Much Love,_

 _Marlene_

Hermione let out an audible sigh as she neatly tucked the letter back into her new notebook. She really did like Marlene and her present was held quite dear to her heart. Hermione set her present neatly next to Peter's present, and grabbed Alice's next. It was much smaller than the rest, but Hermione didn't mind at all. She opened the letter that was attached to the gift and shifted comfortably to read.

 _Hermione,_

 _Hope your Christmas is going well; bummed that you have to spend it at Hogwarts, but we'll be back before you know it! You have truly become such a huge part of my life, and I am so glad to call you my friend. You are a true Gryffindor, through and through! About the present, Frank insisted on it, and so in turn he also insisted that they were from him as well._

 _Love,_

 _Alice and Frank_

Hermione laughed at the last part, she knew Frank and Alice were quite the pair, and to already be receiving present signed from the both of them made her heart warm. She opened the small box and inside was a pair of small pearl earrings, they were beautiful! Hermione thought that the present was very muggle like, until she found another small piece of parchment tucked into the box, it read.

 _Hermione, the earrings are noise cancelling earrings for when you study, which you do a lot. You put the earrings in, and all you will be able to here is the sound of the sea, because of the pearls. You get it right? Anyways we figured they would be perfect for you._

Hermione's grin widened, this was a very Hermione like present and she made a mental note to thank Frank for picking these earrings out specifically. She leaned over and grabbed James' present next. From just looking at the packaging, Hermione could tell it was a book, and opened it a bit more eagerly.

 _The Greatest Wizards and Witches in the Past Century_

The title read. Hermione flipped through the first couple pages and found the letter he had attached to it.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _We all miss you a ton. Remus and Peter are coming over to my house tomorrow and I'm thankful I'll have better company. Sirius hasn't shut up about you since we left Hogwarts. And I thought I was bad about Lily. Anyways, I hope you like this book. I chose this one, because I figure you'll be in it one of these days. Merry Christmas Hermione!_

 _James_

Hermione smiled at the thoughtful gift and set it aside, reaching for Lily's present next. She could tell this was also a book, and received massive déjà vu when she unwrapped it.

 _The Greatest Wizards and Witches in the Past Century_

Hermione verbally laughed out loud. James and Lily coincidentally had gotten her the same book! If this didn't prove how well they'd be together, Hermione didn't know what would. She made a mental note to tell the both of them and then began to read the letter.

 _Hermione,_

 _I miss you dearly! My muggle family is driving me crazy and I wish that I could be at Hogwarts right now. You have been a dear friend to me since you have moved here and I am so glad that you were sorted in Gryffindor. I got you this book specifically because I know I will see you in the next sequel._

 _Lily_

Hermione couldn't help but laugh, James and Lily's reasoning's for the book was practically the exact same thing. She reached for Remus' present afterwards. As she lifted it up, she could also tell it was a book, and Hermione briefly thought that if it was the same book as the one she had just received twice, she was going to need some sort of explanation. To Hermione's delight, it was not the same book at all. In her hands was a large leather bound scrapbook. Hermione's heart raced as she opened the first page.

 _Hermione,_

 _Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy your present. I figured since you had lost all of your old friends and only had memories; I will give you some more._

 _Remus_

Hermione turned to the first page eagerly.

The first picture was of her at a quidditch match standing with Lily and Alice; all three of the girls were looking at the camera and waving frantically. Hermione smiled and flipped the next page. It was a picture of Hermione and Peter playing wizarding chess in the common room. Both were too focused on the game to realize there picture was being taken. James was in the background messing up his hair and staring at Lily, who was reading her book. The next picture was taken at the Great Hall; Sirius had one arm around Hermione, and the other around Remus. Sirius was smiling his usual handsome smirk and the other two were blushing profusely, Hermione realized this was probably taken before she had started dating Sirius. On the next page was a picture of Sirius and Hermione zipping in and out of the frame on Sirius' broomstick. Hermione could tell her face was pale, and her arms were holding on very tightly to Sirius torso. Hermione flipped to the next one and saw that it was of her and Marlene, both giggling on a couch in the common room about something Hermione didn't remember.

Hermione held the book to her chest and felt like crying. She sat up quickly though and ran to the other side of the room and reached deeply into her bag. Pulling out the picture of Her, Ron and Harry, Hermione easily placed a sticky charm on it and stuck it to the last page in the scrapbook. She missed all of her friends, old and new.

Hermione reached for the next present, which was an envelope and opened it quickly. It was from Sirius and Hermione began to read.

 _Hermione,_

 _I wanted to give you my present in person, so I figured I will when I get back. I miss you terribly, James is awesome and Peter and Remus are coming over tomorrow, but it's definitely not the same. I wish you would've come back with us during Holidays. I'll see you soon at Hogsmeade. I wish I was with you now._

 _Sirius_

Hermione's heart fluttered, she hadn't sent any of her friends their gifts because she wanted to see their facial expressions, but she hadn't expected anyone to do the same for her. She was smiling so big she almost forgot she was completely alone….almost.

Hermione continued to look through her gifts, and found that she received a book from Professor McGonagall and a bag full of candy from Hagrid that Hermione thought was probably expired. The last thing in her pile was a note from Dumbledore.

 _Merry Christmas Hermione,_

 _You'll be delighted to know that all of the ingredients for the potion have been collected accordingly. Once school begins and Severus has returned from break, you can begin brewing._

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Hermione's heart soared. She couldn't believe she would actually be able to help Remus in this type of way and she was ecstatic. Hermione put her new presents away and decided to head downstairs for breakfast. She walked down the empty corridors slowly, not in a rush of any sort.

Once she entered the Great Hall, she was amazed at the decorations. A large Christmas tree was placed in the very center, with lights and tool strung up all along the ceiling. It was a beautiful sight. There were not enough people staying at Hogwarts over Christmas Holiday for more than one table to be of use, so everyone was gathered around the staff table. Hermione sat down acrossed from Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfry.

"Good morning," Hermione politely said to no one in particular.

"Merry Christmas, Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall said.

"Merry Christmas," Hermione replied and took a bite of her eggs. "Thank you for the book, it was very kind of you."

"It was no problem. Think of it as incentive to keep the Marauder's a bit more under control." Hermione swore she saw Professor McGonagall wink.

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything. Sirius and James can't be controlled, those two are completely uncontainable." Hermione smirked as she turned to the older woman.

"They keep things…interesting," Professor McGonagall noted and took a drink of her pumpkin juice and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Hermione's head shot to the left as she heard a loud thud, and Hagrid plopped down clumsily next to her.

"Merry Christmas Hagrid," Hermione said to the half-giant next to her. He was wearing a large leather coat of some sort and his beard was dotted with a galaxy of snowflakes, he must have just been outside, Hermione thought. "Thank you for the candy as well." Hermione beamed. Hagrid blushed and waved a large hand at her.

"Notta problem," He smiled, then blushed when Hermione handed him a wrapped gift. "What's this? Er Hermione, ya didn't need ter get me anythin'." Hagrid said but took the present anyways and smiled wide when he opened it.

 _The Magic of Gardening_

"Er book," He grinned. Hermione nodded her head eagerly.

"Yeah, I know you don't really need help with it, and you won't be able to use it until spring, but I figured you might've been interested in it." Hermione explained and Hagrid let out a loud bellied laugh.

"I love it 'Ermione!" Hagrid announced with a mouthful of food, which cause Hermione to both cringe and laugh simultaneously. Some things truly didn't change.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Christmas went by quickly in the Lupin Household. Remus' mother Hope, who was a muggle, worried frantically over her son, in a much mother like fashion. Remus was glad he was leaving for James' house the rest of Holiday, not that he didn't enjoy spending time with his parents, but they were quite overbearing. His mother was protective due to his Lycanthropy. She nearly fainted when she found out Remus could go to Hogwarts when he was eleven.

"I'm off to James' house," Remus walked into the kitchen and told his parents. His father, Lyall was almost identical to him. Although his fathers' eyes were a dark brown, Remus' were a pale bluish-green, depending on the lighting. They were both tall and lanky, and had the same light brown-blondish hair.

"C'mere," Hope Lupin waved her hands over and brought her son into a large hug. "Have fun at Hogwarts, and be safe." His mother said into his chest; he had towered over his mother since he was nearly thirteen. "Don't be doing anything stupid with James and Sirius; I know they like to get you in trouble."

Remus laugh and let go of his mom, "Mum, it'll be fine. I'm a prefect; I keep them out of trouble." Remus reminded his mother. She tried to hold back her tears, but Remus could feel them soaking into his jumper. He finally got out of his mothers' grasp and walked over to his father.

"See you soon, Remus." His father politely smiled at the boy and stuck out a hand to shake his sons'. Remus reciprocated and smiled sadly at his father. He knew things were never the same after Remus' wolf attack. His father had felt full of guilt and regret, knowing that his son was targeted because of his harsh words against the werewolf community. Remus could feel his father pitty him, and he loathed it.

"Goodbye, I love you both, and I'll write." Remus waved to his mother and made his way to the fireplace. "Potter Manor," Remus said clearly, and stepped into the fire. As he appeared in the Potter's large fireplace, Remus let out a sigh of relief. Being in the presence of his friends made everything much better.

"MOONY IS HERE!" Remus could hear Peter yell as he ran into the Potter's large living room.

"Hey, Wormtail." Remus coughed as he stepped out of the fireplace and looked around the Potter's large mansion. Unlike Remus' modest cottage type house, the Potter Manor was anything but modest. Its tall ceilings and large rooms made it the perfect hang out for the Marauders.

"Wormtail! Do you ever stop yelling?" James walked into the room grumpily, then perked up once he saw Remus. "Moony!" He ran and jumped up on the boy. Remus struggled to hold James up, he was nearly Remus' height, and was much more muscular.

"Oi! Prongs, you're getting fat!" Remus teased as he tossed his friend off of him.

"Rude!" James scoffed and sent an elbow into Remus' ribs.

"Boys! Boys! Boys! Everybody get along, please!" Sirius called as he walked into the room. His face had a peculiar smirk on it.

"Whats up with him?" Remus raised an eyebrow and asked Peter and James. Peter let out a loud laugh and James sighed.

"We get to see Hermione today, and just so you lot know, he hasn't shut up about her since we left," James said, seemingly much less amused than Peter, probably since he had to deal with Sirius all holiday.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Remus lied. He definitely hadn't forgotten about that, he had even made a countdown to this very day. "When are we leaving?"

"As soon as possible Moony!" Sirius said as he took Remus' bags out of his hands and marched up the large staircase to put them away.

"Wow, Sirius is definitely taking after the house elves," Remus muttered under his breath, causing Peter to laugh.

"We better get ready then, or else Sirius will hex us all in our sleep tonight." James told them and hurried up the stairs after Sirius.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione shoved all of her presents into her purse and stomped off to Hogsmeade. She couldn't help her excitement; she was very excited to see the boys. The past couple of days had been almost too calm and quiet; she missed the constant pranks being pulled and the crazy atmosphere of the bustling Gryffindor common room during a normal school day. She checked her watch and quickly headed into the Three Broomsticks. She nervously looked around and then heard her name being called.

"Hermione! Mione, over here!" She could hear Sirius calling to her.

"Sirius!" She squealed and ran over to his table. He stood up and lifted her into a large hug and swung her around, Hermione couldn't help but giggle. When he set her down she then attacked James, wrapping her arms around him and planting a big kiss on his cheek, making him blush. Peter was the next victim, as Hermione squeezed him tightly she could see the other boys fear he'd pass out soon. Hermione then moved onto Remus for whom she held for a little longer than appropriate, she planted a kiss on his cheek and then sat down at their booth.

"I've missed you all so much," She explained as she began bringing out their presents. As she handed them out she continued to talk, "Thank you all for your presents it was really too kind of you." The boys shrugged and Peter blushed.

"Chocolate frogs, yes!" Peter said delightfully as he stuffed one into his mouth. He finished opening his present and saw the abundance of prank supplies buried in the bottom.

"Uh oh….Peter you better hide those chocolate frogs from Moony." James teased and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Oh Hermione, did you knit this sweater?" James said as he opened his present and pulled out a dark, Gryffindor red sweater out of the box.

Hermione nodded her head and laughed, "Er, I tried, I'm not very good at though." James ignored the comment and immediately put it on over the sweater he was already wearing.

"Red looks really good on me," He noted as he looked down at the sweater.

"Here's yours Remus, thanks for your gift too, I loved it." Hermione told him as she handed Remus his present. Remus unwrapped the present and rolled his eyes, but smiled at her nonetheless.

" _A Tale of Two Cities_ ," He read and Hermione giggled.

"I thought maybe if I bought you your own copy you'd be able to make some sense of it," She grinned at him. Remus shook his head and looked up at her.

"I love it, I really do." He reassured and opened it immediately.

"Sirius I have your present…" Hermione began, "But I didn't know if you wanted to do share them in er, private." Hermione glanced at the other three, then looked back at Sirius. He squeezed her hand and shrugged.

"We can do it later, I don't mind." Sirius winked at her and Hermione laughed in relief.

The rest of the afternoon was spent sharing stories and laughing in the three broomsticks.

"Padfoot, I dare you to chug the rest of your butterbeer," James challenged his friend. Sirius frowned and looked at his cup, which was completely full, and shrugged.

"Pete wanna race?"

"Padfoot you will never be able to beat me. When will you get that through your thick head?"

"I can try- GO!" Sirius suddenly yelled, as he poured his butterbeer down his throat. Hermione cringed at the sight, it was completely barbaric, but she couldn't help but laugh. Sirius had gotten quite the head start, but Peter was catching up in no time.

"Wormtail! Wormtail!" James and Remus cheered as they slammed their fists down onto the table. Peter finished first, slamming his cup onto the table victoriously and letting out a loud victory whoop. Sirius finished after, and glared at Remus and James, who couldn't help but laugh.

"Hermione, want to er, go for a walk now?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. Hermione nodded her head eagerly and stood up.

"See you lot later," She said to the group and she followed Sirius out the door. As they began walking down the street, Hermione's stomach tightened.

"Sirius, where exactly are you leading me?" She cocked an eyebrow. Sirius turned around to face her, his face red and anxious.

"Er, Madam Puddifoot's." Sirius cringed. Hermione let out a pitiful laugh.

"Madam Puddifoot's?" Hermione asked. "Didn't think that was your thing, Mr. Black." Hermione teased

"It's not. But it's er, kind of…nice." Sirius offered, then shook his head. "You're right, awful idea."

"Shrieking Shack?" Hermione offered. Sirius tilted his head from side to side then shrugged. "Not nearly as romantic…But I like the way you think Miss Granger," Sirius winked at her and they took off towards the Shrieking Shack. Once they reached the shack, Sirius looked around then shouldered the door open, and lead Hermione into the back room, which wasn't nearly as shabby as the rest of the shack. He sat down on an old four poster bed and Hermione joined him.

"Here," Hermione smiled and handed him her wrapped present. Sirius took it then handed Hermione a small box. Sirius opened the box and his smile widened. He pulled out a framed picture of the two of them. The picture was of Hermione and Sirius, arms wrapped around each other cuddling on the sofa. In the picture, Sirius whispers something in Hermione's ear, and then they both laugh then kiss. Sirius ran a thumb over Hermione's face on the picture and smiled up at Hermione.

"I know it's very simple, and it isn't much, but-"

"I love it." Sirius interrupted, pulling her into a large embrace and placing a firm kiss on her lips. Hermione leaned into the kiss, moving one hand through Sirius' long hair and wrapping the other around his neck. She protested as he pulled away, but he laughed.

"I have yours, but I have to explain something first." Sirius told her. Hermione nodded her head and scooted closer to him. "Remus is a werewolf, you know that. Well Peter, James and I were sick of Remus going through the full moon alone; we didn't want him to suffer as much. So…It took us a while…but we're animagus'." Sirius told her, looking directly into her eyes. Hermione only nodded her head and continued to listen.

"I can show you, if you'd like," Sirius offered and Hermione nodded her head. If she hadn't already known about this she would've been extremely curious. Sirius stood up in front of her, and then quickly transformed into a dog. He bounced around the shack happily, wagging his tale. Hermione giggled as the large black dog licked her cheek and she scratched his ear.

"I think I might prefer you like this," Hermione giggled as the dog stopped licking her and tilted its head. "Only kidding!" She added as the dog let out a bark in defiance. Hermione laughed as the dog transformed back into a human.

"Pete's a rat, and James' is a stag." Sirius explained as he quickly got back dressed again.

"You're a cute dog," Hermione laughed at him.

"I've been told." Sirius winked and Hermione laughed. "Anyways, there's your present," Sirius said as he motioned to the small box in Hermione's hand. Hermione opened the box and smiled, in it was a long silver chain with a small silver pendent attached, on the pendant was the silhouette of a dog. Hermione grinned and looked up at Sirius.

"I love it," She said as she held it up eagerly. "Will you put it on me?" She asked and Sirius eagerly nodded.

Hermione gathered her mane of hair to one side and tilted her head forward so Sirius could put the necklace on. His hands grazed her neck and sent a shiver down her spine. Once he was done Hermione turned around and faced him. They were only inches apart, and Sirius ran his hand along the side of her face, and then eagerly leaned in to kiss her. Hermione pressed back urgently, needing his touch. Hermione let out a moan as Sirius took position on top of her. Hermione felt one hand slide down her waist to her hips and she bucked forward, eagerly greeting his touch. She could feel Sirius smirk through the kiss and he reluctantly pulled away.

"As much as I'd love for this to continue…." Sirius murmured in between kisses. "I should probably leave…." Hermione let out a whine of protest and firmly pulled Sirius down next to her. She leaned her head against his chest and sighed.

"I wish we could stay here forever," Hermione hummed into his chest.

"Me too… Although, maybe in a nicer setting…the Shrieking Shack is er, a little shabbier than I prefer." Sirius told her and Hermione giggled.

Sirius sighed and wrapped his arm around Hermione tightly. "I love you Hermione," Sirius whispered against her.

"I love you too."

~Until Next Time~

 **Oohhh! I know a little Sirius x Hermione action towards the ending. But don't worry….REMIONE WILL PREVAIL! I hope you guys liked this chapter, please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Greetings everyone! I wanted to thank everyone who reviews frequently on all my chapters, a little shoutout to all of you guys because you seriously make this worth doing and I can't tell you how much I appreciate your reviews. Thank you all so so much.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter world.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

As the common room filled with returning students, Hermione's heart lifted. Hogwarts was magical alone, but what truly made it magical was all of her friends. She had to stop herself from completely jumping on Marlene, Lily, and Alice when they reappeared in their dorm room.

"Hermione!" Alice squealed as Hermione wrapped her arms around her tightly. Marlene smirked from her bed and jumped up and joined the girls as well. Lily giggled from her bed, but was then greeted with a massive dog pile consisting of the three other girls.

"Merry late Christmas," Hermione handed the girls each of their presents and was greeted with squeals.

"By the way Lily," Hermione began, a slow smirk spreading across her face. "Your present…"

"Do you not like it? I thought I had a really good idea," Lily pouted.

"No, it was great, I loved it." Hermione wickedly grinned. "But someone else thought they had a great idea as well." The other girls didn't quite get what Hermione meant.

"James bought me the same book Lily did." Hermione said slowly. Marlene and Alice doubled over in hysterics while Lily's eyes went wide, mortified.

"We aren't going to tell anyone this." Lily demanded, her face going red, "Right girls?" The other three managed to nod their heads in between laughter.

"How were all of your breaks though, really?" Hermione changed the subject as she moved over to sit on her bed.

"Mine was okay; I was introduced to Frank's mother over break. She's quite the witch, I was very nervous." Alice explained.

"But she liked you didn't she?" Marlene asked curiously, as she began to eat the candy Hermione had gifted her.

"I think so; Frank and I talked about our future. He's going into the Auror program right after school. I think we'll still make it work while I'm at Hogwarts. I might even go into the Auror program when I graduate myself, if I can get accepted." Alice told the girls.

"You'll be accepted Alice," Lily comforted the girl, "You're brilliant."

"Thanks, Lils." Alice smiled, then turned to Hermione, "How about you Hermione, any future plans with Sirius?" Hermione went bright red. She didn't often think about that type of future, she didn't really figure she would be able to have one with someone because of her mission she was sent back to do.

"I actually haven't really thought about it," Hermione confessed. Alice's jaw dropped and Marlene's eyes went wide. "I, er, really like Sirius. We actually just told each other that we love one another." Hermione backtracked. The other girls cooed and smiles returned to their faces.

"Aw... That's wonderful!" Marlene smiled and wrapped an arm around Hermione.

"You two are quite the unlikely couple." Alice noted, "Complete opposites, but you balance each other out perfectly." Hermione blushed and buried her face into her hands, this kind of talk still felt so awkward for her.

"In other news…" Lily must have noticed Hermione's uncomfortableness. "I think Sirius and the other boys should be back by now, how about we go down to the common room and check?" The other girls agreed and lead the way out. Hermione stayed back a bit and grabbed Lily's hand.

"Thanks." Hermione whispered to her as they walked down the stairs. Lily smiled.

"It's okay, they can be a bit overbearing, trust me," Lily giggled.

Hermione entered the common room and saw Sirius visiting with a few seventh years. She waved at him and he smiled brightly back at her. His Gryffindor uniform was untidy as usual. Only tucked in on one side and both sleeves were rolled up. His tie was completely undone and Hermione shook her head. She would have thought this looked sloppy on anyone else, but Sirius Black pulled it off perfectly.

"Hi," Hermione said giving him a large hug. Sirius kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tight.

"How was the rest of your break?" Sirius asked curiously as they took a seat on the couches.

"Good, I'm happy that everyone's back though. The castle isn't as amazing with no one here." Hermione admitted.

"No! That's the perfect time to explore! I should have had you make some more maps of the castle." Sirius frowned. Hermione lifted an eyebrow and laughed.

"Sirius, I don't think you'll have any problems mapping out the rest of the school," Hermione placed a kiss on his cheek. She was about to say something else but she noticed Remus walk in.

"Hey, I have to talk to Remus for a second," She explained to Sirius. He raised an eyebrow and she mouthed _'werewolf business'_. Sirius nodded understandably and Hermione dashed up to meet him. Remus looked a bit sicker than usual and Hermione worried.

"Remus," Hermione smiled and waved at him. Remus' head snapped in her direction. The frown that was on his face instantly changed into a smirk, and his eyes brightened.

"Hey," He smiled and brought her in for a hug. "How was your break?" He asked.

"Good, would've been better with you lot, but I made do." Hermione smirked. "I have a surprise for you; I forgot to tell you when we met up at Hogsmeade. Dumbledore has all the ingredients for the Wolfsbane! I can start making it immediately!" Hermione excitedly said to him. Remus let out a loud, cheerful laughter and lifted Hermione up from the ground and spun her around.

"I can't believe it!" Remus said as he set her down. "When will we start?"

"Dumbledore will pick a time and then send an owl to Severus and me!" Hermione grinned. Remus' smile faulted slightly at the mention of Snape.

"What is it?" Hermione wondered.

"Nothing," Remus quickly replied, but he didn't fool Hermione.

"Remus, what is it?" Hermione pressed.

"Nothing, really. The wolf's just getting used to you spending time with Severus, that's all." Remus explained.

"You'll be with us though, the whole time. Right?" Hermione asked. She was under the impression that Remus would be joining their potion sessions. Remus quickly nodded his head then sighed, looking around.

"Yeah, I will. And that makes it better but its hard not to be so over protective. I don't want to snap at Snape and ruin everything," He said timidly.

"You won't. I'll be there, keeping you in check. It will be okay, I promise." Hermione said to him. Hermione could tell he still wasn't completely reassured, but he nodded his head anyways.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus was anxious the rest of the day; having the fate of the disease that plagued every aspect of your life in your best friends hands' was pretty big news, and it was expected to make one nervous.

"Remus, you coming to dinner?" Peter asked, staring at Remus as though he was something strange. Remus nodded his head.

"Yeah, hold on." Remus said as he set down the book he was reading and quickly followed Peter to the great hall. Dealing with Sirius' and Hermione's relationship had gotten easier. He had almost become accustomed to their behavior. Remus picked a seat acrossed from the two lovebirds themselves. He entertained himself by talking to Lily about their prefect duties.

"Who do you think will be head boy and head girl?" Lily asked curiously. Remus knew this was a loaded question. He had to say Lily no matter what.

"Probably you and Raggins from Ravenclaw," Remus admitted as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"You don't think you'll be head boy?" Lily raised an eyebrow. Remus shook his head.

"Definitely not, I've got the marks for it, sure. But I've spent way too much time in detention to even be considered." Remus motioned towards Sirius and James, which made Lily laugh.

"But you'd be the obvious choice," Lily countered, obviously not giving up on this argument.

"Whatever you say Lily," Remus knew better than to continue arguing with Lily, she was usually right.

"Hey Lils," Marlene smirked and spoke up above the chatter of the rest of the group. Lily's face went red and she gave Marlene a death stare. The rest of the table shared questioning looks and quieted down.

"Yes, Marlene?" Lily replied slowly, her eyes narrowed down on the blonde.

"What book did you get Hermione for Christmas; I want to buy myself it." Marlene replied. Something was going on at the table that only the girls new about. Remus noticed that Hermione's face went red and a large grin erupted on her face, and Alice was leaning into Frank, attempting not to die of laughter. However, Remus was not completely out of the loop, as none of the Marauders knew what was going on either.

Lily looked around at everyone and shrugged, " _The Greatest Wizards and Witches in the Past Century."_

"Hey Prongs, didn't you get that book for Hermione too?" Peter questioned James. James turned bright red and gave Lily a pleading look. The rest of the table doubled over in laughter.

"Soul mates!" Sirius gasped in between the waves of hysterics. "I swear you're soul mates!" Sirius continued to laugh until Lily delivered a swift kick to Sirius' shin from underneath the table.

"Lily, I'm sorry I didn't know-," James put his hands up defensively, but Lily quickly interrupted him.

"James its fine, really," Lily pleaded with James, both clearly embarrassed.

Once dinner ended, Lily and James both left the table abruptly, Remus thought that it was probably to sallow in their embarrassment. Remus walked slowly back to the common room with the rest of his friends, when he felt Hermione tug on his arm.

"Remus," Hermione hissed and pulled him aside. She waved a piece of parchment in front of him, and Remus instantly recognized it.

"You got the letter?" Remus asked he attempted to snatch the piece of parchment from her. Hermione narrowed her eyes and tugged the piece of paper out of reach.

"Ahem," She cleared her throat warningly and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Just tell me when!" He impatiently begged.

"Tomorrow, after Transfiguration lesson!" Hermione squealed. Remus couldn't contain his happiness. He so desperately wanted to pick Hermione up and kiss her, but he knew that would have been an awful idea. So instead he settled for a hug, which was much less satisfying. The pair walked back to the common rooms, talking in hush whispers about their hopes and plans for tomorrow, and Remus tried not to think that Snape would be there.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione could hardly focus throughout all Transfiguration. To her horror, Hermione even got a question wrong. When class was over she quickly excused herself from her friends and made her way over to Remus.

"Are you ready?" Hermione asked Remus excitedly. Remus nodded and the pair walked towards the class room the Dumbledore had assigned them. Hermione noticed that this was the way to the old Potion Dungeons, and momentarily wondered if she would be using her old Potions room as the empty classroom. Hermione, as usual was right.

"What is it?" Remus inquired.

"This was my old Potion classroom when I went to school here," Hermione couldn't help but smile at the irony. "And Snape used to teach it." She shook her head and laughed.

"Ironic," Remus noted and Hermione agreed. She took a deep breath and swung open the door to find Snape standing there, potions supplies surrounding him and a haughty look on his face.

"Hello Severus," Hermione politely said to him as she walked it. Snape remained quiet until he saw Remus behind her.

"I didn't agree for _him_ to be here as well, Granger." Severus hissed, pointing a long bony finger at Remus. Hermione nervously looked back between the pair and could almost feel Remus shaking besides her.

"Severus, we are doing it for him, he wants to help. Let him." Hermione firmly spoke, her brown eyes narrowed down at the pale boy.

Severus didn't say anything but turned around to face the potions. Taking this as an incentive to start, Hermione shut the door behind her quickly and hurried over to help Severus. The duo began working silently, quickly developing a system that worked for both participants. Hermione could feel Remus anxiously standing over the two and heard a loud audible sigh from Severus.

"Lupin, we'll never be successful with you babysitting us. Since you're of no use in the actual making the potion, perhaps you want to take a walk to calm your nerves...I can feel you shaking from here." Severus snapped in a much kinder way than one would suspect Severus to snap.

Hermione glanced up as Remus stood, feet glued to the floor staring in shock at the back of Severus' head. He looked over to Hermione in question and she shrugged.

"Okay…I'll be back soon then," Remus choked and walked out the door. Hermione cringed, she didn't want him to go either, but he couldn't relax. Once Remus was out the door Severus glanced up at Hermione, and then continued to chop up plant roots.

"You and Lupin then?" Snape sighed. Hermione paused what she was doing and looked up at Severus.

"What…?" Hermione asked in confusion.

"You and Lupin are dating then," Severus stated. Hermione's eyes went wide and she laughed.

"Everyone thinks that," She muttered to herself then turned towards Snape. "No, actually I'm dating Sirius; Remus is just a good friend. I thought everyone knew that." She saw Snape shiver in disgust at her mention of Sirius, and fire built up inside her.

"Really? Black was the one to win your affections? Not as smart as I thought…" Snape leered. Hermione ignored the comment and continued to cut up the plant roots, focusing on precision. She didn't say anything for a while and Severus sighed.

"Are you ignoring the fact that Lupin is infatuated with you or have you accepted it and decided to move on?" Snape asked. Hermione's jaw dropped. Remus was definitely not infatuated with her, and if he was, she would not have just ignored it.

"No, he's not. Definitely not." Hermione stated uncomfortably and shifted back from one foot to the other. Was Severus Snape trying to give her relationship advice?

 _Weird_

"Trust me Granger; I know unrequited love when I see it." Snape retorted. Hermione's face instantly went red. She knew he was talking about Lily, and her situation with Remus was completely and utterly different.

"You're wrong, you are so wrong," Hermione shook her head in disbelief. This situation was so wrong. Since when did Severus Snape have the right to question her relationships?

Severus gave her a doubtful look and rolled his eyes, "Whatever, not my problem right?" Hermione nodded her head, but Severus wasn't done.

"If he wasn't into you, then why was he growling down my throat?"

"He was _not_ growling down your throat Severus."

"He was standing behind me, making sure I didn't get within an inch of you." Snape looked at her. Hermione almost saw a…smile…creep up on his face as he explained this to her.

"He wasn't," Hermione insisted, but honestly for all she knew, he could've been. Hermione wasn't paying attention to Remus when he was in here.

"Whatever you say…"

The rest of their brewing was past with short conversation and the looming awkwardness of being the only two people in a classroom. Hermione quickly found the Severus wasn't awful company, but company one had to be accustomed too. She was relieved when Remus returned, with pastries from the kitchens; courtesy of the house elves. Hermione looked at her watch and figured that they could call it a night.

"Want a pastry?" Remus asked as Hermione packed her stuff away. Hermione couldn't help but smile and grabbed a donut.

"Thanks Remus," She smiled as she took a large bite. Remus laughed at her chubby cheeks and turned towards Severus.

"Want one?" He offered. Severus looked at Remus as thought he might vomit, and began to walk away; Snape stopped and turned around and quickly snatched a pastry then stalked away. Hermione could help but giggle at the interaction as Snape disappeared beyond the door.

The next few weeks went by quickly. The lessons with Snape proved to be useful and the duo were making great progress with the Wolfsbane potion. Soon January melted into February and there was only one thing on Hermione's roommate's minds.

"What's Sirius going to do for Valentine's Day?" Marlene asked as she chewed on her nails. Hermione shrugged, she hadn't known what Sirius was going to do, and the two hadn't really talked about it.

"I'm not sure, we haven't talked about it." Hermione admitted. The other girls nodded and Alice swooned.

"Frank and I are going to Madam Puddifoot's; it's going to be lovely." Alice sighed and the other girls laughed.

"What about you two?" Hermione raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I think I'm going out with Tad Hilkins from Hufflepuff," Marlene shrugged, "He seems nice enough."

"What about you Lily?" Alice asked.

"I don't think I'm doing anything," Lily admitted. Hermione felt a mischievous smirk grow upon her face and stood up.

"I don't think James is doing anything tomorrow, maybe you could hang out?" Hermione laughed. She attempted to see Lily's facial expression but was unable to because the stubborn redhead smothered her with the pillow.

"Only kidding!" Hermione yelled into the pillow, and flung Lily off of her. The four girls paused for a moment, looked around at each other, and then began laughing.

The next day came, and Hermione was supposed to meet Sirius in the Astronomy tower after dinner. It had been Valentine's Day, and Hermione hadn't appreciated the amount of candy and love letters Sirius received from other girls. He shrugged it off, and gave them to the other three boys, but Hermione still couldn't shake the uneasiness of it. It was hard being involved with someone so desired by the rest of your classmates.

Hermione walked up the steps and saw Sirius sitting down on a large white blanket, underneath the stars. Hermione couldn't help but smile as he turned around to face her.

~Until Next Time~

 **CLIFFHANGER! The next few chapters start to get interesting….I've been waiting to write the next few for a while now and I was growing really impatient with myself. Anyways just a warning, coming up, stuff goes down. Hope you liked this and review review review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Greetings Everyone! So a lot goes down in this chapter, rated M if you get the hint. Please leave a review, they mean the world to me. Also, sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been very busy but I will try to update once a day again!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter Universe.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"You look beautiful," Sirius smiled at her and Hermione blushed.

"You look very handsome," Hermione replied as she sat down next to him.

"Tell me something I don't know," Sirius winked and Hermione sent an elbow into his ribs. He laughed but put an arm around Hermione and the two leaned back to look at the stars. The view of the night sky from the astronomy tower was amazing, and Hermione wondered why other couples hadn't made their way up here as well.

"Why is it so empty?" Hermione asked.

"I might have mentioned once or twice about there being a new vicious ghost haunting the Astronomy tower…" Sirius turned and planted a kiss on Hermione's forehead. She let out a loud laugh and shook her head. Hermione turned to face the sky again and was drawn to the moon that hung large and low in the sky.

"Full moon is soon?" Hermione wondered, from the looks of the moon, it was definitely coming up soon.

"Yeah, two days. Remus is already starting to act moody." Sirius confessed and Hermione sighed.

"This was very sweet of you," She told him as he put an arm around her. Hermione leaned into his chest and Sirius drew her closer.

Sirius placed a gentle kiss on the top of her head first, then on her forehead, on each of her eyelids, and lastly firmly on her lips. Hermione eagerly kissed back. She wrapped her arms around him and urged him on top. Sirius slowly eased himself above her, and Hermione squealed in delight as his hands moved up and down her torso.

Hermione knew what was coming, and she almost shook with anxiety. She knew Sirius would never hurt her, but so many things were running through her head. Hermione fumbled with Sirius shirt, eventually getting impatient and pleading him to just rip it off. Sirius laughed and sat up to take it off and Hermione drunk in his naked torso. He was very fit, more so than Hermione expected, making her all the more nervous for whatever was to come next. Before she could stop herself, she rubbed her hands over his chest, and Sirius smiled down at her. He moved his hand over to unbutton her shirt, but Hermione hesitated.

"We don't have to do anything," Sirius whispered quickly, his eyes growing big.

"No, no I want too." Hermione nodded and brought Sirius in for another kiss, and slowly unbuttoned her shirt

Hermione could feel Sirius press against her and her face flushed bright red. She continued to pull him into her and kiss him. Sirius trailed kisses down her neck and onto her chest. Hermione ran her fingers through his hair, then dropped them to her sides and began fumbling at his pants. Once she was able to slide them down his hips, Hermione felt Sirius hands reach for her skirt. She gave him an apprehensive look, and then nodded. He lifted up her hips so she could shimmy the skirt off. After a few moments of fumbling, Hermione looked at Sirius nervously. He pressed his forehead into hers and began to laugh. Hermione blushed furiously for a moment, fearing that she did something wrong, then began to laugh as well.

"Whats this?" Sirius asked as he trailed a hand over Hermione's scar suddenly. "Who did this to you?" Hermione attempted to pull her arm away but Sirius kept it firmly planted.

"From a while ago, before I went to Hogwarts." Hermione explained as she dragged Sirius down to kiss her again. He seemed hesitant and like he wanted a better explanation, but stopped protesting when Hermione kissed him passionately.

The pair went on like that for a while, laughing their nerves away and smiling when they truly realized how care free and comfortable they were with each other.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Sirius asked again, pausing above her. Hermione bit her lip and nodded eagerly.

"Positive," She replied.

"I love you," Sirius told her as he placed a kiss onto her neck.

"I love you too." Hermione quietly said.

Sirius entered her slowly at first; pausing once he was only a little ways in. Hermione shifted uncomfortably. It didn't hurt entirely, but she wasn't used to this type of intrusion. She nodded for him to continue and Sirius began a slow, rhythmical movement.

When they were finished Hermione cuddled up next to Sirius, their legs entangled with each other and slowly fading in and out of sleep.

"We should probably head back," Sirius murmured against her. Hermione pouted and shook her head. She squeezed Sirius' torso tightly.

"No, let's stay here forever." She pleaded. Sirius laughed and planted a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

"Trust me, I want to as well." Sirius laughed and held Hermione tighter. Eventually the pair stood up and got dressed.

"What time is it?" Hermione asked Sirius as she buttoned up her shirt.

"Midnight," Sirius replied, checking his watch. Hermione frowned a bit and Sirius laughed.

"Don't worry, we won't get caught," Sirius smirked and held up the invisibility cloak. Hermione smiled, knowing she had used that very same cloak with Ron and Harry. The two slid underneath the cloak and began their way back into the common room.

"Oof!" Hermione gasped as she toppled over something, pulling the cloak down with her.

"Hey! Students out of bed!" Hermione could hear Filch yell from around the corner. Sirius picked Hermione up and pulled the cloak back on top of them in one swift motion. The two ran down the corridor holding hands until they reached the common room.

"I thought we were dead," Hermione giggled as she fought to catch her breath. Sirius laughed and nodded his head.

"Hermione, I would never let you perish at the hands of Argus Filch," He grinned.

"My hero!" Hermione swooned mockingly and clutched at her heart, which sent the two into hysterics. Ignoring the numerous couples scattered acrossed the common room in intimate positions, the two headed to their rooms.

"Thank you for tonight Sirius," Hermione said as she leaned her head against his chest. "It was absolutely perfect." She tilted her head up and kissed Sirius on the lips.

"You're perfect, and I love you." Sirius purred into Hermione's ear, which sent her into giggles.

"I love you too," Hermione bit her bottom lip and gave him a large hug. "Goodnight, see you in the morning." She whispered in his ear and bounded up the stairs to her room, looking back once and finding that Sirius was staring at her with a stupid grin on his face.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Today had been particularly difficult for Remus. Full moon was only two days away and everyone was always so _loving_ on Valentine's Day. Not that Remus didn't like when people were in love and happy, but so far, he had walked in on four couples ' _proving_ ' how much they loved each other within a twenty-four hour span of time. He wanted to Scourgify his eyes.

But the worst thing about today was the smell. In the most modest way to put it, he could smell the arousal in the air, and it made him want to vomit. He attempted to hide away in his room all day, but lessons made that difficult. He was relieved when it was finally time to sleep in the comfort of his dorm room. That is, until Sirius walked in.

None of the boys were asleep yet, Peter was talking about his date with Tara and James was flipping through a quidditch catalogue when Sirius strolled in. He seemed happier than usual, he had a bit more confidence around him and what Remus' hated most was the smirk he wore.

"Hey, Padfoot. Have a good night?" James asked absentmindedly as he flipped through the magazine.

That's when Remus smelled it. He could smell _her_ all over Sirius. He could tell from Sirius face what had happened, and something inside him snapped.

"What were you doing?!" Remus demanded standing up to meet Sirius. Sirius' smile faltered a bit, but didn't disappear completely.

"Nothing-," Sirius began but Remus cut him off.

"YOU SHAGGED HER!" Remus shouted loudly, both James and Peter dropped what they were doing to watch the interaction.

"Remus, calm down-," Sirius began but Remus stuck out his arms and shoved Sirius harshly.

"YOU TOOK HER WHEN SHE WASN'T YOURS TO TAKE!" Remus accused loudly, pushing Sirius again. Sirius slammed back into the wall, and he stuck his hands out defensively.

"She's my girlfriend Remus. We love each other, we can do what we bloody well please!" Sirius yelled back, but refusing to lay a hand on Remus. Remus shook his head violently and began to breathe at an alarming rate. He could feel his face grow red with anger. She was his. She was his mate. He was hers. This was so wrong.

"SHES MINE!" Remus growled and jumped on top of his friend. Sirius was taken down unexpectedly. He easily could've won a fight against Remus; he had a hell of a lot more practice. But it was near the full moon, and Remus wasn't completely himself. Remus knew that Sirius could've thrown him off, but he still refused to lay a hand on his friend.

"Remus, please calm down!" James begged as he slowly walked up to the feuding boys. Peter had a panicked expression on his face and looked as if he might vomit.

"I can smell her on you…" Remus sadly explained, not moving from his offensive position on top of Sirius. "She's mine." He said sternly to Sirius. "She wasn't yours too take."

"Stop saying that!" Sirius shouted back viciously. "She isn't anyone's! You don't own her!" Sirius spat.

That was what Remus over the edge. It all happened so quickly. Remus punched Sirius hard in the face, sending fist after fist into Sirius' cheekbones. He could see Sirius' eyes widen in fear and attempt to protest, but not once did he try to hit Remus back. That just made Remus angrier.

"FIGHT BACK!" He roared at his friend. Sirius' face was already turning different shades of blue and blood was pouring out of his nose."SHE'S MY MATE!" Remus growled. Sirius shook his head slowly and attempted to say something, but words didn't come out. "MINE!" Remus cried and sent another fist into Sirius' gut.

"Moony!" James roared, latching onto his friends back and dragging him off of Sirius. "Stop! It's okay!" James whispered into Remus' ear, still holding him tightly. Remus' heart rate slowed down once James grabbed him.

"Its okay, Remus. You're okay." James said softly and began to let go of Remus. Remus' vision blurred and he looked down at his hands. His knuckles were covered with his and Sirius' blood, he had only just realized what he'd done. In grief of the assault that he had just committed, Remus began to cry.

"I didn't mean too!" He sobbed into James jumper. He could feel James hand rub up and down his back comfortingly, and he could also hear Sirius moaning in pain. "I'm so sorry!" Remus cried. Then everything went black.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione didn't sleep well at all that night. She felt angry and bitter and sadness and she didn't understand why. She tossed in an out of sleep, and was grateful when the morning sun finally rose.

She still felt in distress, and wasn't sure why. She had the urge to walk down to the common room and when there she saw Peter anxiously pacing back and forth.

"Are you alright Peter?" Hermione asked and Peter looked at her like he might cry and nodded his head.

"Yeah, but er, there was a problem. Last night. You should come with me to the hospital wing." Peter explained and grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room.

"Peter tell me what's happening!" Hermione demanded as she slammed her foot onto the ground and stopped Peter from walking.

"Please just come, everyone is okay." Peter promised and grabbed Hermione's arm to drag her away again. Hermione hesitantly nodded and followed him down the corridor. A million thoughts went to Hermione's head. She hadn't seen anyone this morning. What if someone's family had been killed? Slaughtered? More deaths have been shown recently in The Daily Prophet; it wouldn't be out of reach. She knew the future, but so much was changing at such a rapid pace Hermione felt as though she was drowning. Hermione followed Peter into the room and her jaw dropped.

Sirius was laying on one of the hospital beds, his face was battered and bruised and he looked like absolute hell, but he was laughing at something James said.

"Sirius!" Hermione gasped and ran to him. She went to put her arms around him but Sirius held up a bruised arm in protest. Hermione gave him a questioning look and stepped away. Sirius gave James a side glance and James stood up and followed Peter out of the hospital wing.

"What happened?" Hermione gasped, "Did the Slytherins do this to you?" Sirius shook his head and laughed.

"I wouldn't let a Slytherin lay a hand on me," Sirius spoke weakly, but he still was his confident self.

"Then who did this-," Hermione's jaw dropped and she looked around the hospital wing, "Where's Remus?" She asked Sirius. "Did he hurt you?" Sirius's bruised face paled and he shook his head.

"Hermione…I think it's probably best that we stop seeing each other." Sirius choked out. Hermione shook her head and looked away, trying to will the tears to stop trickling down her cheeks. This was so sudden, so unlike Sirius. She thought that they had been in love just yesterday, it was them against the world, what happened? But had they really been _in_ love? Hermione knew that she cared about Sirius a lot, and she knew she was attracted to him. But something felt off, missing.

"Sirius, you don't mean that."

"Yeah, I do. And you know it too." Sirius spoke harshly, he wasn't looking at Hermione though, and he was looking through her, passed her.

"Shut up," Hermione spat at him.

"I think you should go," Sirius said quietly. Hermione backed up horrified. He loved her, he just said that to her yesterday. What had changed? Why was he doing that?

"Sirius, what are you talking about?" Hermione coughed, tears pouring down her face. "Please just talk to me." Sirius shook his head and looked away.

"What did I do wrong?" Hermione yelled. Sirius shook his head and continued to look at the ground. "I thought you loved me." Hermione whispered quietly. When Sirius said nothing Hermione let out a bitter laugh. "You sleep with me and then you dump me?" She grabbed his chin and turned his head to face her. "I guess your reputation was true, then huh?" She spat bitterly. Hermione could see Sirius cringe at her words then look away.

"Please go." He said coldly. Hermione would've slapped him if he didn't already look half dead. She turned on here heel and stalked out of the room. Once she opened the doors Peter and James were looking at her nervously. She rounded furiously at the two and pointed a menacing finger in their direction.

"What happened?" She hissed looking at the two boys. Peter paled and attempted to hide behind James, but James grabbed Peter by the shoulders and stuck him protectively in front of himself.

"Hermione…" James began gently.

"Why did he just break up with me? What did I do?" Hermione screamed at the two boys. Peter looked at her like he thought she might hex him, and James eyes went big.

"He broke up with you?" James gasped. Hermione wiped a tear away and nodded. "Hermione, er, I didn't know I'm sorry." James brought Hermione into a hug and for a moment Hermione pretended it was Harry comforting her, not his father.

"Where's Remus?" Hermione demanded as she pulled away from him, "I want to royally kick his arse." James paled and stuck his hands on Hermione's shoulders.

"No, no don't do that!" He pleaded with her. Hermione shook her head deviously and James inhaled loudly, "I think it'd be better if you waited until after the, er full moon to see Remus."

"Where is he?" Hermione demanded, and took a menacing step towards Peter.

"Dorm room!" Peter squealed before he clamped a hand down over his mouth in shock. Hermione through a glare at the two boys and stalked to the boys dormitory.

She made her way up the stairs angrily and kicked open the door to the boys bedroom. She saw Remus, paler than usual with bandages over his knuckles reading _A Tale of Two Cities._ Hermione would have found the scene endearing if she didn't absolutely want to kill Remus at the moment. Before Remus could react Hermione stormed up to him and snatched his wand from the bedside table. She used her own to shut the door and turned towards Remus.

"Talk. NOW." She calmly demanded as she stared daggers into Remus eyes. He looked horrified and jumped up off of his bed and went to the farthest side of the room possible. He timidly looked out the window, as if sizing up the impact if he were to jump out the window.

"REMUS!" Hermione shouted at him and picked up a nearby pillow. "TALK!" She yelled as she picked up a small pillow threateningly. His eyes were not the same pale bluish-green as they normally were; instead they were dark, almost colorless.

"Later, we can talk later but not now." Remus said in an eerily calm voice.

"No!" Hermione screamed at the top of her lungs. "I'm sick of people dismissing me! I deserve answers! Why is my ex-boyfriend beaten to a pulp! And why does he hate me now!" Hermione stomped her foot out of habit.

"Ex-boyfriend," Remus repeated. Hermione could see a small smile appear on his face and she desperately wanted to hex him.

"Why are you smiling?" Hermione demanded, "I loved him! What did you do?" Hermione stormed over to Remus, wanting to slap him acrossed the face, but knowing fully well that she wouldn't be able too. She stuck out her hands to attempt to shove him forward, when Remus hands shot up and grabbed both her hands, firmly. Hermione tried squirming out of his grasp but he held her in place easily. He leaned into and Hermione cringed away; this wasn't Remus, this was the wolf.

"You still smell like him," Remus growled in Hermione's ear. Hermione's eyes went wide and she tried to jerk away but his grasp was firm.

"Let's change that." The wolf purred into her ear and Hermione inhaled sharply. She needed to get out of here, pronto. The door suddenly bursting open was enough to draw Remus' attention and Hermione managed to squirm out of his reach and towards the door.

Hermione could hear Remus curse and she looked up at her saviors. James was bent over panting heavily, and Peter looked like a sweaty mess.

"Will someone please tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Hermione demanded from behind. Both Peter and James both shared an uncertain glance with one another, and then turned towards Remus.

"Stay in here!" James demanded and then led the other three out the door.

"We need to find a place to talk privately," James spoke urgently.

"I know a perfect place." Hermione eagerly said, desperate for some answers. She took the lead and headed to the Room of Requirement.

~Until Next Time~

 **Some of you might be swearing and wanting to punch your computer so….I just wanted to say things do get better from here. Remus was completely not himself because of the oncoming full moon and holding in his feelings too long and Sirius is trying to do the right thing. Everything will look up from here, I promise. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Greetings Everyone! Please please review and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the entire HP Universe.**

 _ **Hermiones' POV**_

Hermione closed her eyes tightly, and thought of a safe place to talk with her friends. When she opened them, a large door appeared in front of her.

"How did we have no idea this existed?" James gasped as he ran up to the door and slid his hand roughly down it. Hermione bit her lip as she thought of an excuse.

"Hermione! You've been holding out on us!" Peter announced as he opened the door. The shape shifting room revealed a sitting room, much like the one at the Burrow, she frowned at the thought.

"What is this place?" James turned around and faced her, his wide hazel eyes danced from Hermione to all over the amazing room, taking its magic completely in.

"Room of Requirement, you ask it to take certain form, and it does." Hermione explained impatiently, they were here for other reasons. "Now that you've made yourselves at home," Hermione motioned towards the large couch both Peter and James were now sprawled upon, "Please. Whats going on?"

The boys glanced at each other nervously and James clapped his hands together and sighed.

"Last night, after Sirius got back from, er, _visiting_ you, some stuff went down." Hermione nodded her head for James to continue and he let out a loud audible groan.

"Sirius walked in the room, and full moon is pretty close, so Remus was already spread thin. Sirius walked in and Remus started yelling that he could…er…smell you on Sirius." James blushed and Hermione paled.

 _Oh Merlin!_

"Remus got super angry, he wasn't himself, and the wolf took over. He was so angry at Sirius for er, _shagging_ you. He was super possessive and he was yelling and screaming. Sirius wouldn't fight back, he wouldn't hurt a friend like that, Remus wasn't himself, he'd never do that on a regular day, and he just lost control." James said quietly. He then turned to Hermione and firmly stated.

"Remus isn't a monster, once the full moon passes; he's going to feel so guilty for what he did. He probably won't talk to anyone for a whole month." James stated seriously.

"I know he's not a monster," Hermione said quietly. James nodded and continued.

"He grew very possessive of you; he started screaming that you were his. That Sirius had no right being with you. He said you were his mate."

Hermione gulped, so Remus had spilled their secret. "Did he say anything else?" Hermione asked. James shook his head.

"Please don't hate either of them. It's not Remus' fault, he already hates himself enough for what happened. And don't hate Sirius; he's being a right noble git about the situation but I'm sure it'll pass, he does love you." Hermione nodded her head. How could this day get any weirder?

"What did Moony say while you two were alone?" Peter piped up, giving Hermione a sympathizing look.

"He, er, tried to get me to leave. But I wanted answers, so I stayed, and then he said some other really weird stuff that I'm assuming wasn't completely him." Hermione admitted. Peter blushed furiously, probably remembering the state he found the two in.

"This is a mess." Hermione shook her head. The two boys agreed.

"Was Remus telling the truth about you two?" James hesitantly asked. Hermione raised an eyebrow but then nodded.

"Yeah," Hermione said bitterly. "I'm his mate." She could hear Peter inhale sharply and James let out almost a sigh of relief.

"And you still dated Sirius?" James raised an eyebrow.

"I-, we agreed that we could see other people. I didn't want him to feel like his Lycanthropy was ruining someone else's life." Hermione said coldly.

"I can't believe I didn't see how much it was destroying him." James said under his breath.

"I had no idea either," Hermione snorted resentfully. Had Severus been correct? Did Remus really feel something for her and she was completely oblivious to it. She felt like vomiting.

"Oh Merlin…" Hermione sighed and threw her head into her hands. "I need to speak with Sirius right now." She headed for the door then turned around, "Don't tell anyone about this room, okay?" The two boys nodded eagerly as Hermione stalked back to the hospital room. Hermione peaked through the door and waited till Madam Pomfrey had left before she walked in.

"Sirius Black," She called out. She could see his head shoot in her direction, and then his shoulders sulked. He had looked considerably better since the last time she saw him. Madam Pomfrey probably had him taking some potions to help with the healing.

"I told you to-"

"I know what happened," was all Hermione said as she sat down at the edge of his bed. "I'm ready to tell you my secret now; I think it will explain some things." Sirius looked like he was about to protest, but nodded his head.

"Are you okay to walk?" Hermione asked him, Sirius nodded again and slowly sat up. The two walked slowly out of the room, and to Dumbledore's office.

"You're his mate," Sirius spoke aloud. Hermione turned to him and slowly nodded her head.

"Yeah, I am."

"I do love you Hermione; I would never lie about something like that." Sirius spoke quietly. "Something was off though; I know you felt it too." He pressed. Hermione knew he was right. She had loved him, with all of her heart. But she didn't know if she was _in_ love with Sirius. Something about their relationship was missing, some connection, and Hermione was pretty sure she knew what it was.

"I didn't want to admit it," Hermione confessed, "I was happy. We were happy."

"Remus wasn't. Merlin- Hermione why didn't he tell one of us?" Sirius shook his head.

"He has this stupid idea in his head that he doesn't deserve happiness. It's completely ridiculous and ludicrous and no matter how angry I am at him right now, he still deserves the world." Hermione spat out quickly.

After a moment of silence, Sirius spoke up.

"You're in love with him," Sirius observed.

"I love you." Hermione persisted.

"But you're in love with _him,"_ Sirius pressed. Hermione's shoulders slumped and she stopped walking.

"Sirius, I'm so sorry," Hermione choked out, tears falling down her face. Sirius sighed and wrapped his arms around her tight. Hermione could see that she was staining his already blood smeared shirt with her tears and cried even more. Sirius planted a kiss on top of her head and rubbed her back rhythmically.

"It's okay," He cooed as he held her tightly. Eventually she stepped away and wiped her tears off of her face. "I should be apologizing…Breaking up with you after last night." Sirius whispered into her ear.

"That was awful," Hermione admitted into him and he shook his head.

"I was trying to do the right thing," Sirius persisted. "Remus was hurting so much."

"And the right thing was breaking my heart?" Hermione bit her lip, not meaning to snap at Sirius like she did, but was she just supposed to forget so easily? Sirius looked down at her and sighed.

"It's not easy for me, Hermione." Sirius said sharply. Hermione sent him a glare and he kept going. "The moment-, the moment I found out that you were Remus' mate, my heart broke. It was shattered and it was stomped on and it was set on fucking fire." Sirius exhaled. Hermione looked down, not able to face him.

"I wanted to beat the bloody hell out of Moony, but how could I? In what world was any of this his fault? He hates himself enough already, I wasn't about to give him another reason to feel guilty about being himself."

"Even if that means being miserable yourself?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I can't do this Hermione," Sirius replied shortly.

"Do what?"

"Hermione! Can't you see, fate has decided that your meant to be with Remus," Sirius said. "What's the point of us? What's the point of us being together if you already belong to someone?"

"I don't belong to anyone." Hermione hissed, her face getting flushed.

"You belong to him, and he belongs to you. It's barbaric and animalistic but that's how it is. That's how it always will be." Sirius grabbed Hermione by the shoulders and shook her. "I'll always love you, I will, but I can't get in the way of you and Remus. I won't." Hermione cringed at that. She shook her head furiously, but deep down she knew he was right.

"I still have something you need to see." Hermione spoke determinedly as she walked to Dumbledore's office, Sirius trailing slowly behind her. Once she reached it, she turned to Sirius.

"Any chance you know the password this time around?" Hermione asked sadly, referring to their first initial interaction. Sirius smiled and nodded, obviously remembering as well.

"Pumperkins," Sirius spoke and the doors swung open. Hermione reached for Sirius' hand and squeezed it tightly. She walked him up the stairs and found Dumbledore sitting in his desk.

"Ah, Miss Granger, I thought I might see you soon." Dumbledore mused. Hermione politely smiled at him.

"I've come to use the pensieve, is that alright?" Hermione asked politely.

"Pensieve?" Sirius asked and Hermione gently elbowed him in the ribs.

"As you wish," Dumbledore smiled, "I'm sure you two would enjoy some privacy?" He asked as he stood up from his desk.

Hermione watched as the Dumbledore left the room.

"A pensieve is a device to watch memories," Hermione explained. She turned to look at Sirius and sighed. "Sirius, I'm from the future." Hermione sat down on a chair, and Sirius fell into the other.

"You're what?"

"I'm from the future, I swear it." Hermione told him again.

"You're joking." Sirius stated and Hermione slowly shook her head.

"Sirius, please, I have a few memories to show you, it'll explain everything." Hermione promised and Sirius reluctantly nodded his head. Hermione lifted her wand to her head and slowly dragged the wispy white memory into the goblet.

"Watch them," Hermione urged as she nudged Sirius. He hesitantly ducked his head down into the liquid. It had been nearly an hour before Sirius finished watching all of the memories. Unike Remus, he didn't ask questions. He watched them all, and after watching the memories Sirius gave Hermione a bewildered look.

"I- Peter?" Sirius whispered. Hermione nodded her head.

"I was in Azkaban. James was dead." Sirius gasped and Hermione reached a hand up comfortingly.

"Sirius, things have already changed. Me, being here. Peter won't be a traitor, James and Lily won't be slaughtered in their own home. I'm not going to let you go to Azkaban. I won't let anyone touch any of you." Hermione said sternly and Sirius shook his head.

"James and Lily finally?" Sirius sadly a bit. Hermione nodded her head eagerly. "You were friends with their son, Harry was it?" Sirius asked.

"Best friends. Ron too." Hermione smiled reminiscently.

"Voldemort slaughtered them, he murdered them."

"He won't, not now. I'm going to stop it." Hermione firmly stated. "I'm going to defeat him, I'll finish it."

"How can you? How can you have any hope after all that's happened? After all that's done? I'm dead, where you're from. I'm dead." Sirius repeated darkly.

"You aren't dead now, Sirius. You are alive, don't take it for granted! Please, I've been sent here to fix things, and I will! I promise." Hermione pleaded. Sirius closed his eyes and nodded slowly.

"I believe you," Sirius whispered. Hermione smiled softly and nodded.

"Your scar, it's from Remus?" Sirius questioned and Hermione nodded.

"That night Remus er, claimed me so the other wolf couldn't hurt me. He scarred me so I would survive, he did what he could." Hermione added hastily. "When he scratched me, he put a claim on me as his mate. Doing so, made it impossible for the other wolf to harm me. He didn't mean too, but he did. I only realized it when I did research in this time. Dumbledore explained it a little better, if you'd like to see that memory."

Sirius looked pale and shook his head, "No, that's okay; I don't need to see it. I believe you." He remained quiet after that and Hermione nearly shook with anxiety.

"Well?" Hermione asked quietly after a moment.

"I need some time," Sirius told her, Hermione's head lowered and she nodded. "I want to help you, I do. But this is a lot to take in. I need time."

"Okay," Hermione barely spoke in more than a whisper. "Don't tell the other two, and don't blame Peter." Hermione warned. Sirius nodded and reached a hand up to his long hair and shook it through his hair.

"I won't." He smiled tightly and left her standing in Dumbledore's office, alone.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus woke up the day after the full moon feeling terrible. His memory was coming back to him in pieces and with each piece he hated himself more. He vaguely remembered beating Sirius and grabbing Hermione eagerly. He cringed and sunk lower into his hospital bed. Memories were flying back into his brain at a rapid pace. Sirius had not transformed with him and the other two Marauders last night, which was probably a smart idea since the wolf was at its all time high, and also not very fond of Sirius.

"You okay?" Remus heard a soothing voice ask and he lazily turned his head over to face James. He was bruised and looked tired, but other than that fine.

"I think so, fill me in would you? I'm only remembering bits." Remus confessed and attempted to sit up, but the pain in his ribs protested against the movements.

"From the beginning?" James raised an eyebrow and jumped onto the edge of Remus' hospital bed.

"That would probably be best," Remus coughed.

"Let's see… On Valentine's Day, Sirius and Hermione er," James cast a nervous glance at Remus, "were intimate. When Sirius returned to our dorm room, you went ballistic. You said you could smell her on him, and that he had no right, and that she was your mate." James spat out quickly, and Remus had the feeling he had told this story already.

"Sirius mouthed off a bit and well, you beat him, pretty bad too. It wasn't you though; we all knew it wasn't you." James added hastily. Remus let out a sigh and shook his head. He'd hurt his friends. He knew he was a monster. He knew he was no good. Somewhere amongst the self loathing thoughts Moony screamed at Remus.

 _She was yours!_

 _Took what was yours!_

 _Yours!Mate!_

"The boys and I found out that Hermione really was your mate, not much more. The morning after Hermione visited Sirius in the hospital wing, he broke up with her." Remus' jaw dropped.

"Hermione and Sirius are done?" Remus gaped. James stuck up a single finger and hushed him.

"Hermione went crazy and wanted to bloody kill you. She talked to you for a while; you'll have to ask her about that. Then we explained to her what happened and then she said she had to tell Sirius something, and left." James explained quickly. "She's pretty quiet now, not sure how to handle things, I think. She's civil with Sirius, but the two are giving each other the silent treatment all together." James finished, inhaling deeply. Remus felt lower than scum.

"They hate me don't they?" Remus said quietly and James shook his head violently.

"No, they don't. Sirius actually wanted me to come get him as soon as you woke up." James admitted. Remus nodded, he definitely needed to talk to Sirius as well.

"And…Hermione?" Remus asked hopefully. He knew she probably would never want to speak to him again, and as much as that hurt, he didn't blame her. He _was_ a monster.

"Give her space for now. She's been in the girl's dormitory most of the time, and only comes out for meals and lessons, and even then she only really talks to Lily and Peter." James explained.

"Oh, okay." Remus softly replied, trying not to let his disappointment show through. James squeezed Remus' hand supportively and stood up.

"Should I go fetch Sirius then?" James cocked an eyebrow and ran a hair through the snarls of his messy hair. Remus' nodded his head and James dashed off. Remus barely had time to think when the doors swung open again and Sirius stepped in, Remus could smell how nervous he was and felt ashamed.

"Hi," Sirius said quietly as he made his way over to the bed.

"Hey," Remus barely whispered, not making eye-contact. After a moment of staring at the floor, Remus dared a glance up at Sirius, whom he noticed was crying. Remus opened his mouth to say something, when Sirius threw his arms around his friend, wrapping him up in a warm hug. Normally this would have caused Remus great discomfort from the previous full moon, but it was different this time, comforting and almost healing like.

"I'm sorry." Remus choked out, surprised when the last word didn't quite make it out of his mouth, but Sirius already knew what he was going to say.

"Me too," Sirius sighed as he held his weak friend.

"I should have never of touched you," Remus began, not really knowing where else to start.

"Don't, don't apologize for hurting me. I deserved it." Sirius interrupted.

"No you didn't!" Remus protested, but Sirius hushed him.

"Hermione told me everything, I watched the pensieve, and I saw us in the future." Sirius explained rapidly. Remus nodded his head.

"You believe her, right?"

"Of course I believe her." Sirius snapped, but then quickly recoiled realizing what he had just done.

"I've heard the two of you aren't on speaking terms?" Remus wondered. Sirius bit his lip and shook his head.

"No, er, we need space." Sirius retorted.

"You need to get back together with her," Remus told the boy urgently. "You two were happy, now that you're not together, you're miserable."

"Remus-,"

"Sirius, she loved you!" Remus spat. He didn't exactly liked the words coming out of his mouth, but his mate was happy, and no matter how much the wolf inside hated that it wasn't with him, Remus didn't mind….too much.

"Yeah, and I love her." Sirius spate, "But she's in love with you, mate." Sirius breathily finished. Remus jaw dropped and he slowly blinked.

"No,-"

"She bloody well admitted to it," Sirius countered quickly, "I love her, I think I probably always will. But you two are meant to be, I'm done getting in the way of that."

"Sirius, you can't do that." Remus spoke.

"It's for the best Remus, you two deserve each other." Sirius insisted and Remus didn't know whether to slap or hug Sirius. He decided on the latter though, and pulled Sirius into a tight squeeze.

"She hates me now," Remus sadly admitted and Sirius shook his head.

"Give it time," He promised, and Remus reluctantly nodded.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hey! What did you guys think? Remus and Sirius are brothers and no matter what happens, they'll always love each other. However, after the recent events it's all a bit awkward between the three. Please review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Greetings Everyone! Thank you everyone for reviewing, they are all wonderful! You are all wonderful! I up, so I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the entire HP Universe, not me.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

She hadn't talked to Remus or Sirius for nearly one full week. She hadn't talked to nearly anyone in that amount of time actually. Sirius had expressed that he had wanted to be left alone, and Hermione didn't think she could forgive Remus quite yet. Deep down, she knew it wasn't his fault, and that he was probably beating himself up thinking about the past events. But they had happened, and they had hurt Hermione in a way she wasn't comfortable with, and so she decided she needed time as well.

Word had spread throughout school about her break up with Sirius. Rumors spread like fiendfyre. Once, as she was walking back from potions alone, she had overheard two fourth years saying that Sirius had cheated on Hermione with nearly half of the Charms club. Hermione wasn't on exactly on talking terms with Sirius, but she was not about to let that awful rumor spread. So she pointedly reminded the two girls that they knew nothing about her relationship, and then promptly stomped off. Leaving the two fourth years open mouthed and wide eyed.

Most of Hermione's free time was spent in the girl's dormitory, working on her homework, or sneakily researching more on Horcruxes. Her three dorm mates were concerned with her, but all of the girls knew Hermione enough now to not push their luck trying to get her to talk about it. Hermione was a very private individual, which was something she prided herself on. One morning however before breakfast, Alice let out a very loud groan.

"Come on, you're coming to breakfast with us." She stood at the foot of Hermione's bed, with her arms crossed and a very intimidating look on her face. Hermione narrowed her eyes at her friend, and then looked over to Lily and Marlene for help. Lily immediately looked at everything in the room besides Hermione, suddenly having an absolute fascination with a crumpled up piece of paper that meagerly sat on the ground. Marlene however bit her lip and shrugged at Hermione, silently agreeing with Alice.

"I have homework to do," Hermione persisted, lifting up her Transfiguration book. Alice rolled her eyes and brushed a piece of blonde hair out of her face and shifted her hips, she looked plain menacing. "I'll just ask the house-elves for-," Hermione began but was interrupted by Alice's snorting laughter.

"You hate asking the house elves for food! I know you've been through a lot, but you have to come out eventually." Alice firmly stated as she stomped a foot down. "And it's Saturday! I'm pretty sure you're ahead in all your classes, so what homework could you possibly be doing!" Hermione shuddered and inhaled sharply when Lily moved over to sit on her bed.

"Hermione….Please, if you want to talk about it, I'm here for you, but you should really come with us. I won't leave your side the whole time, I promise." Lily put a hand on Hermione's back. Hermione nodded her head slowly. She wasn't ready to face her classmates yet, but she knew it was probably time. Hiding looked weak, and Hermione Granger was anything but weak.

"I know, I'll go." Hermione said with a grim smile and silently slipped out of bed to get dressed. Once she had her robes on she turned around to face the three waiting girls. Marlene was staring at her sadly, letting out a rhythmical sigh of grief every few minutes. Alice shook her head sadly and her eyes fell to the ground, and Lily's lips were pursed and she made a clucking noise with her tongue. Hermione let out a huff of air and put her hands on her hips.

"Stop that!" She hissed at the three girls. They all seemed taken aback with Hermione's sudden hostility and Lily was the one who spoke first.

"Stop what?" She ventured carefully. Hermione scowled at them and sighed loudly.

"Stop looking at me like I'm some case to be pitied! It's exhausting!" Hermione finished as she tossed her hands into the air recklessly, she was awfully tired of being pitied.

"Hermione we didn't mean to, honestly." Marlene spoke as she stuck her hands out defensively. Hermione let out a sigh and nodded her head.

"I know," Hermione began, "Let's just forget about this past week completely, I want things back to normal." Hermione hid her snort at the word, _normal_. She was a time-traveling witch, sent back in time to defeat the most evil wizard in existence; she was the opposite of normal.

The other girls agreed with Hermione and the foursome headed downstairs. As they entered the common room, Hermione was relieved to see that it was nearly empty. She figured that most of the people had already headed down for breakfast and that they were running a bit late. Hermione looked outside the window, and saw that the large blanket of snow that rested heavily on the Hogwarts ground was slowly melting away, revealing bits of grass poking through. Spring seemed to be trying to make an appearance.

As the girls made their way to the Great Hall, Hermione became antsy. She could feel her stomach tingle and knew that Remus and Sirius would be waiting just around the corner.

As they walked into the door, Hermione's stomach tightened, she felt like she was going to vomit and pass out. To her relief, no one really noticed their entrance, they were all too busy talking and eating. Hermione sighed in relief as Alice lead them to the end of the Gryffindor table and they sat down. Once they began to eat, Hermione calmed down.

 _Be brave! You are a Gryffindor!_

 _Be brave!_

Hermione was about to ask Alice to pass her the pumpkin juice, when she spotted Remus acrossed the table. He looked like his normal self. Pale and lanky, and he even had a goofy grin on his face as he laughed at something Peter said. Hermione noticed Sirius next to him, cracking a joke every once in a while as well. It looked as though they were not fighting anymore, and had even gone back to their normal selves. Hermione envied them. She wanted to look away from the Marauders, but her eyes were glued to their interactions.

James was in the midst of telling a story. He was waving his hands in the air wildly, mimicking it looked like to be a quidditch match. Sirius said something with a big smile, which caused both Remus and Peter to bend over laughing, and left James with a scowl on his face.

Hermione was about to look away, when Remus turned his head towards her, his eyes connecting with her own. Hermione's heart skipped a beat, and she felt her stomach tighten again. She could feel her heart rate speed up and her eyes grew wide. Remus' looked at her at first with shock, then with an almost a pleading look. She noticed that they were back to their normal pale color, instead of the dark color she had looked upon only a week ago.

Hermione tore her eyes away quickly, moving a hand up to cover her flushed faced. She felt panicked, and the flight or fight defense mechanism perked up somewhere inside her. Murmuring a goodbye to Marlene who was sitting next to her, Hermione got up quickly from the table and marched out of the Great Hall, heading towards the nearest bathrooms. As she turned a corner, she could hear someone hissing her name.

"Granger!" Hermione whipped her head around, and was startled to come face to face with Severus, who was giving her an odd look. Before Hermione could say anything, Snape grabbed her arm and headed for an empty class room. Hermione protested at first and slammed her foot on the ground, but eventually followed him into the room. Hermione looked around and recognized it to be the spare classroom that Remus had told her he was a werewolf in. Convenient.

"Severus!" Hermione hissed as she ripped her arm away from his grasp. Snape looked at her dumbly and shrugged, as if being dragged unwillingly into spare classrooms was a normal occurrence.

"We're working on the potion tonight," Snape reminded her, "Have you forgotten?" The truth was, Hermione had completely forgotten. She knew she was going to continue to make the potion whether she was on terms with Remus or not, it was far too important for their petty silent treatments to make any differences. Plus, the main reason to why they weren't talking was because Remus couldn't control the wolf during the week leading up to the full moon, and the potion should help that immensely.

"I didn't forget," Hermione snapped, crossing her arms rudely at him. Snape sneered back and Hermione wondered how often one could sneer before their face permanently resided that way. Or maybe Snape's had already frozen that way, it was hard to tell. Snape stared at her for a moment and then scoffed. Hermione's jaw dropped and she moved her hands onto her hips.

"And why have you brought me to this empty classroom Severus? To tell me about the potion?" Hermione raised an eyebrow questioningly. Snape snorted and shook his head.

"It wouldn't seem very ordinary for me to come up and talk to you right at the Gryffindor table would it? Besides even if I tried, that git of a boyfriend of yours would have hexed me before I even made it half way acrossed the Great Hall." Snape explained quickly. Hermione cringed at his words. She shut her eyes tightly and sighed.

"Ex-boyfriend actually," Hermione exhaled sharply. Snape raised an eyebrow but didn't say much else on the matter.

"Anyways," Snape began, "I don't think my friends would appreciate me talking to a Gryffindor. And the same for you." Hermione cringed again as she remembered the story Sirius had shared with her about the Slytherins attacking Snape for talking to Lily. This must have been to what he was referring too.

"Agreed," Hermione noted, not knowing what else to say. Snape nodded his head awkwardly then put his hands into his robe pockets.

"Don't forget about tonight. And don't be late." Severus firmly said before he headed towards the door. Snape put his hand on the door knob, then turned back to face Hermione.

"Wait a few minutes after I leave, then walk out the door. I'd hate for someone to see me with you." Snape added hastily as he snuck out the door. Hermione scuffed at the comment and hopped onto a nearby desk.

She waited for what seemed like hours until she finally decided it would be safe to open the door. She turned the handle slowly; the quickly swung open the door. Hermione stepped out into the corridor quickly without looking, and found herself slamming right into someone. Hermione inhaled sharply as she rebounded and felt onto her butt, she murmured a sorry and began to stand up. Once she was finally collected, she looked at her collider and her jaw dropped.

Remus was standing in front of her, his face screwed up in a cringed and he immediately took a step toward her.

"Hermione," He pleaded, but Hermione quickly ducked her head down and scurried away, she had no idea what she was to say, and frankly, she didn't want to hear what he had to say as well. Hermione scampered around the corner, looking behind her so often she didn't notice the _other_ body she smacked into. She put her hands up defensively this time, to make sure she didn't fall, but she did stumble back.

"Watch where you're going, _filth._ " The tall Slytherin sneered at her. Hermione recoiled and scowled at the boy, whom she recognized at Mulciber.

"Shove it," Hermione growled as she attempted to push pass the boy. Mulciber sneered and reached out an arm and grabbed Hermione at the elbow.

"Don't think you can talk to me like that, I've got friends that can make your life hell." Mulciber hissed into her ear. Hermione attempted to walk away, but then thought better.

"Oh, like Lucius Malfoy?" Hermione retorted, "In case you have forgotten, I managed him easily enough! I'm not afraid of you or your little Death Eater friends!" Hermione hissed into his ear. Mulciber grunted and shoved her into the wall.

"You little…" Mulciber trailed off as he reached into his robe for his wand. As he fumbled for it, Hermione delivered a kick into his groin, which caused the large boy to topple over in pain.

"You _bitch_!" Mulciber groaned as he stuck his arm out to catch himself from falling over.

"Prefect! Prefect!" Hermione heard a familiar voice call.

"Fighting in the hallways?" Remus asked with a raised eyebrow. Of everyone to catch her, it had to be _him._ As Mulciber turned towards the voice, Hermione ducked under his arm and made it to the other side of the hallway. She noticed that a crowd of people had gathered around the two consisting of all four houses and yet no one thought to step in.

"Fits you Mulciber," Remus said dryly. "Hermione, I thought you knew better." Hermione's head snapped up and looked at Remus trying to read his expression. His face was plain and was plagued with utter annoyance. She huffed and stomped her foot as she turned to him.

"It was self defense, he threatened me." Hermione explained, as she tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. All she wanted to do right now was go back to the girls' dormitory and read. She didn't want anything to do with this Slytherin _or_ Remus.

"I saw her shove him!" An underclassman yelled, and Hermione recognized it as one of the two that she had overheard gossiping about her. Hermione scowled at the girl and turned back to Remus.

"I ran into him! I was trying to get away from you!" Hermione hissed as she motioned towards Remus himself. She could see his face twitch slightly into a cringe at her words, but not falter completely.

"Detention, both of you." Remus said simply, "Mulciber, talk to Slughorn about yours. Hermione, I'll speak with McGonagall." Hermione's eyes grew wide as most of the students filed away, realizing that the fighting was over. She scowled at Remus once more then stormed down the corridor, absolutely fed up with her day.

"Hermione, wait!" Remus called as he reached out an arm to stop her.

"Remus. I don't need your help; I was handling myself just fine!" Hermione hissed at him venomously. Remus flinched but he remained determined.

"You can't keep avoiding me." Remus said calmly. Hermione rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"I think I'm doing a good job of it. Wouldn't be too difficult to keep it up."

"Fine, I was going to not tell McGonagall about the fight, but since you're not going to cooperate, I think I will." Remus crossed his arms and threatened her. Hermione laughed.

"You're joking," Hermione's eyes went wide. "You've got to be joking!" Even in another time, the idea of getting a detention made her stomach drop. And to receive the detention from _Remus_ made her blood boil with anger.

"Not the slightest." Remus snarled. Hermione stepped back and let out a groan of frustration. She wanted to slap the boy, but she knew she couldn't. Why couldn't he follow Sirius' lead and ignore her as well!

"Fine, give me detention. I'll take Filch over you for the time being." Hermione stuck her nose up into the air haughtily. Remus lips twitched into a smile and he let out a laugh.

"You wouldn't be with Filch. I'd be holding your detention." Remus informed her. Hermione's jaw dropped and she took a step back.

"You wouldn't," Hermione challenged and Remus nodded.

"We can talk freely, like adults. Or you can be forced to talk to me in detention, your choice Hermione." Remus offered. Hermione shook her head and let out a frustrated laugh.

"I'll take the detention then," Hermione said as she narrowed her eyes at the boy, then turned and stalked off.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you enjoyed it! Please review and let me know what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Greetings Everyone! New chapter, hope you enjoy! As always, please leave a review, they give me life!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of this.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione stomped into her dormitory, regretting leaving it all together. Nothing about this day had gone right; nearly everything she did blew up in her face. She flung herself onto her bed and let out a long groan of frustration. With her head pressed down onto her pillow, she didn't hear the door open and close, so she was surprised to find her three roommates perched around her.

"Hermione," Marlene coaxed as she rubbed her friends back soothingly. "What happened?" Hermione flipped over slowly and stared up at the three girls.

"You didn't see?" Hermione raised an eyebrow and perched herself up onto her elbows. Marlene shook her head and Lily and Alice both shrugged. "Nearly everyone was there." Hermione snorted bitterly.

"I got into a fight with Mulciber, and then Remus gave me a detention for it." Hermione explained, and Lily's jaw dropped.

"You got into a fight with Mulciber?" She gasped. Hermione cringed and nodded.

"I actually wouldn't even call it a fight. It was self defense. I ran into him, then he said a few choice rude words and wouldn't let go of me, so I may have kneed him in the groins. He deserved it though, trust me." Hermione explained as she sat up. The three girls looked more impressed than anything and Alice frowned slightly.

"Well, did you talk to Remus? I'm sure he just said you got a detention as well so he wouldn't seem unfair in front of everyone else." Alice reasoned.

"It was pretty clear that I'd be serving detention as well, which is completely ridiculous." Hermione exhaled and rubbed her temples. She felt relieved that she could complain to her friends.

"Well, who will you be serving it with? McGonagall isn't too bad, especially since you're a good student." Lily added optimistically. Hermione shook her head.

"That's the worst part! Remus said he'd be having my detention! Are prefect even allowed to do that? It seems highly inappropriate." Hermione exclaimed.

"Only six year prefects have the right to do that," Lily stated slowly, "although it's pretty uncommon because holding detention is basically the same as serving it. None of the students want to waste their time doing that."

Hermione scowled at that and let out another loud groan, which made Alice who was sitting next to her jump in her seat.

"It's not a big deal though; you and Remus are friends, aren't you?" Alice asked. Hermione pursed her lips at that. She was friends with Remus still, just not exactly on great terms. Detention with nearly anyone else would be more tolerable, perhaps except Mulciber.

"We're not exactly on talking terms. I think that's why he gave me the detention in the first place, so I'd be force to talk to him." Hermione admitted shamefully.

"Is it because er, because of your break up with Sirius? Does it involve this as well?" Lily timidly asked Hermione. Hermione blanked on the question, she knew it would be coming soon, seeing as she wasn't talking to either Sirius or Remus at the moment.

"It's not what you think," Hermione added hastily before any of the girls got any ideas. "Its two separate things altogether, I just have to deal with both of them at once."

The other three girls seemed uncertain with Hermione's answer, but decided not to press any further. After a moment of awkward silence, Lily cleared her throat and spoke up.

"Well, we're going to the library to study for the Potions essay, would you like to join us?" The pretty red head asked Hermione. Hermione raised an eyebrow and laughed loudly.

"No thanks Lily, I think I'm good here for right now." Hermione told the girl, she couldn't help but smile. After everything she had been through today, why bother to ask if she'd want to leave again. Of course Hermione wouldn't want to leave her dormitory, even if it was to go to the library. It was an idiotic question. Lily seemed to think it was as well. The ends of her lips curled up into a grin and she shook her head.

"I figured, do you want me to bring you back any books at least?" Lily questioned and Hermione shook her head. She figured she could sneak off later tonight after her meeting with Severus. Hermione sat down on her bed as she watched her friends walk out of the room. Hermione looked around the room for a moment, before deciding to open up the book in front of her and start to read.

She didn't notice she fell asleep until she jolted awake quickly. Her face was pressed hard against the book, causing the page she was on to stick to her cheek as she sat up. She yawned and checked her clock, she had been sleeping for nearly five hours, and it looked like the other three girls hadn't revisited the dormitory since earlier this morning. Hermione sat up slowly and stretched, she had completely slept through lunch and halfway of dinner. Figuring she would just have to visit the house-elves later, Hermione didn't bother trying to make it to the Great Hall. Instead she made her way down to the more than likely abandoned common room. As she bounded down the stairs she noticed a figure sleeping at the bottom of it. She stuck out her toe and poked the figures shoulder.

"James!" Hermione hissed at the boy as she kicked him awake! "What are you doing here?" She asked once the boy came too. James quickly wiped the drool off of his chin and sat up. His hair was messy in a way that was even crazier than usual, and his eyes still held the notion that they had been closed just moments ago.

"Hey, Hermione!" James yawned again as he woke up more. "You came down!" Hermione watched as the boy clumsily hopped to his feet and looked Hermione up and down.

"Why were you waiting James?" Hermione asked impatiently as she walked passed him and fell down onto one of the couches. James shrugged and pulled out a note. He straightened it up then held out his arm to Hermione. Hermione raised an eyebrow and took it, carefully inspecting it.

"Whats this?" Hermione questioned as she looked it over.

"It's from Remus," James explained as if it was obvious. Hermione snorted and shook her head.

"And he couldn't give it to me himself?" She snapped. James shrugged and awkwardly shifted his feet.

"You didn't really want to see him, Hermione." James pointed out and Hermione could feel her face flush red.

"Oh, well. Very well." She sighed as she began to open it. "What is it? Surely you read it?" James shook his head no, and Hermione gave him a doubtful look.

"I swear I didn't open it," James promised as a grin spread acrossed his face. Hermione slowly began to open it.

 _Hermione,_

 _Detention is at 9 tonight. McGonagall's room._

 _Remus_

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked up at James. "Can I request that you kick him for me? You see, I would very much like too, but unfortunately I cannot." Hermione explained as James let out a loud giggle.

"Hermione, we all miss you." James admitted as he sat down next to her. Hermione sighed loudly.

"I miss you all too," She informed him as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"This won't be too much longer? Will it?" He asked. "The fight between you three I mean," He added hastily. Hermione shrugged.

"I miss talking to them…But things are still so awkward. I don't know if I'm ready to forgive either of them." Hermione admitted with a shrug. "It might take some time." James nodded, agreeing with her.

"They feel awful about it," James quietly told her. "They act like everything's normal, but they're my best friends. Remus isn't sleeping well, or nearly at all. And Sirius doesn't joke around as much. He hasn't even hexed an underclassman since the incident." James sighed deeply, obviously thinking that it was a bigger deal than what it was. Hermione cracked a smile and shook her head.

"I'm not sure that's such a bad thing," Hermione giggled a bit and James nudged her.

"She laughs still!" James yelled and shook her shoulder. Hermione laughed even harder and let out a loud sigh. It was moments like these that James reminded her of Harry. Of course, Harry wasn't the best at helping her with her feelings, but he tried.

"Shut up Harry!" Hermione laughed and shoved his chest so he fell off the couch head first. Hermione was still laughing when he popped his head back up and messed up his hair once more.

"Harry?" James asked and Hermione's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. "Who's Harry?"

Hermione stared at James for a moment, realizing that she had just slipped up.

"An old friend, you remind me of him." Hermione admitted quickly and James smiled and patted her back. "Why were you waiting for me anyways, don't you have pranks to pull? Underclassmen to harass? A certain animagus teacher to frustrate?"

"Well, Remus asked me to give you the note, and Lily actually asked if I could try and talk to you," James blushed deeply and Hermione smirked.

"Lily, huh?" Hermione grinned and nudged his ribs. James nodded and his face turned crimson.

"Hermione, I really like her." James admitted and Hermione nodded. "But I mean seriously, I really do. Not like in third year, where I liked her but I teased her relentlessly. I truly do like her now, as a friend and as more than a friend."

"We all know James, trust me." Hermione laughed and James gave her a pleading look. Hermione sighed and tilted her head, "I think she's starting to warm up to you."

"Really?" James asked with a bright smile. Hermione laughed and nodded her head, it was funny to see James so unsure of himself, usually he was quite confident.

"I think so," Hermione reassured him. She casually looked around the room, and then her jaw dropped. "I have to go!" She said suddenly, only just remembering that she had to meet with Severus.

"You're leaving?" James asked surprised. Hermione nodded her head and began rummaging through her bag.

"Yes, thanks for the talk James." Hermione smiled at him, "Things should be getting better soon, they really should." She promised and gave his hand a single squeeze, then promptly left him alone in the common room. She headed towards the dungeon room and received many glaring looks from numerous Slytherins, obviously in their turf.

"Granger," Severus said as Hermione opened the door and quickly stepped in. "You're late."

Hermione cringed, and shrugged. "I lost track of time, sorry." She said shortly and sat down on a stool next to him. Severus raised an eyebrow and sighed.

"Lost track of time doing what? Hiding in you dormitory?" Snape sneered as he began mixing the dark liquid. Hermione huffed and stopped cutting the plant roots.

"That's not what I was doing." She stated firmly and cut the roots at an even faster pace.

"Really? Because your hair looks like you were just sleeping on it," Snape noted as he added in another ingredient.

"My hair always looks like this!" Hermione hissed as she ran a finger through her wild mane; a weak attempt in taming it. She narrowed her eyes at Snape, and the corner of his mouth twitched up a bit….almost in a smile. Could Severus Snape _not_ hate Hermione Granger?

"The liquid isn't exactly turning the color it's supposed too," Hermione noted anxiously as she leaned over the cauldron. Snape gave her a hateful glare and sighed.

"I've been doing everything _you've_ told me to do!" He accused, and Hermione flung her hands back in mock surrender.

"I never said it was your fault…But we are doing something wrong," Hermione said anxiously. The potion remained a murky brown when it was supposed to lighten up after adding the black beetle eyes.

After an hour or two of extensive potion making, Hermione sighed loudly. They had done nearly everything she had thought of, but it still wasn't turning the color it was supposed to. She had only written down the ingredients to Wolfsbane, she hadn't thought to write down the instructions on how to make the potion.

"I have to go soon," She explained to him as she began to pack up her bags. Snape raised an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes at her.

"Why?" Snape sneered and Hermione groaned.

"I have detention at nine," Hermione confessed as she slung her bag around shoulder.

"Hermione Granger? Detention? Unheard of." Snape dryly said and Hermione stuck out her tongue at him.

"Yes, apparently kneeing Mulciber in the groins will land you in detention now." Hermione shrugged and walked towards the door.

"I'm not saying I'm condoning your behavior," Snape began and Hermione turned around to face him. "But he probably deserved it." Hermione smiled at that then stalked towards the other end of the castle.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus paced in McGonagall's room, nervously smoothing out his wand in between his fingers. Professor McGonagall had given him special privilege to hold detention in her room after he promised he'd attempt to keep Sirius and James under control for the rest of the year. It had been a hefty promise, considering it was almost impossible to keep the two under control, but Remus was at a loss for options.

Hermione was ignoring him, and it hurt. Bad. She hardly gave Remus a chance to apologize, so that's what tonight would be, an apology. After he sentenced her detention, he realized that she probably would have appreciated him more if he would have just left her alone like Sirius had been doing, but that killed him. He needed to let her know that he felt awful for what he had done, and he needed to do that as soon as possible.

He heard footsteps outside the room and quickly ran to desk and sat down, instantly opening a book to a random page in an attempt to not look like a nervous wreck. He could smell her before she opened the door, but when she did open the door, Remus inhaled sharply. He had missed her; they had gone from talking every day, to barely even looking at each other in the matter of a week. He had been miserable when she was dating Sirius, but he would take that over this any day.

"Lupin," Hermione said as she found a seat, farthest away from him. Remus inhaled at her words.

 _Lupin?_ _Since when were they at a last name basis_.

He grinded his teeth together and managed a tight smile, he was here to apologize.

"Hermione," Remus began.

"First of all, how dare you!" Hermione cut him off and stood up abruptly from her desk. She marched over to him and pointed a menacing finger in his face angrily.

"I loved Sirius! I still do! How do you think I felt when after the very first night we shared a bed together," Remus paled at her words, "He broke up with me!" Hermione hissed at him. Remus remained silent and sunk lower into his seat.

"Do you know how awful I felt? Do you know how awful I feel?" Hermione demanded. "You beat him senseless! I know damn well about the bloody _wolf_ and how it's hard to control him near the full moon. But Sirius is your friend! You are brothers!" Hermione stomped her foot down and scowled at Remus, who was turning a bright shade of red, yet somehow paling at the same time.

"The bloody wolf told the rest of the boys about me being your bloody mate, and even if Sirius wanted to date me again, he wouldn't! Because he's too damn noble and too damn loyal!" Hermione yelled at Remus, who was at a loss for words. Hermione stared at him after a second and once Remus remained silent, Hermione let out an annoyed sigh.

"Well?" She declared angrily. Remus cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry."

"YOU'RE SORRY!?" Hermione roared. Remus could nearly see the anger radiate off of her. His eyes went wide and he attempted to back track, realizing he must of said something wrong.

"THAT'S ALL YOU SAY!" Hermione was shaking now.

"I don't know what you want from me!" Remus admitted. Hermione closed her mouth and sat down on the top of a nearby desk.

"Hermione, I feel awful for what I did. It was one hundred percent my fault, I take full responsibility. And I'm sorry, I truly am. Sirius knows it, and you should too." Remus explained as the tension in the room faded away.

"Sirius hates me," Hermione whimpered quietly. Remus bit his lip; he wasn't expecting her to say that.

"He doesn't hate you, at all." Remus simply stated. "He just doesn't know what to do now."

"Why didn't you tell me Remus?" Hermione asked suddenly, a sad look on her face. "Why didn't you tell me that dating Sirius made you so upset?" Remus was taken aback. What was he to say to Hermione? That he was afraid of rejection? That he didn't think it mattered at the time?

"I er, I'm not sure. You loved him; I loved watching you be happy." Remus admitted softly. "It was bittersweet, because it wasn't with me, but I didn't think it would be that big of a deal between us, I mean you didn't feel anything wrong." Remus slightly accused.

"No, I should have known." Hermione pressed, "I'm at fault too, and I knew that I couldn't be with someone else. I was being stupid and immature; I should've read up on it." Hermione hissed, more to herself than to Remus. "How could I be so stupid?" Hermione shook her head.

"No, it wasn't your fault." Remus added hastily, he didn't want anyone else to be of blame because of his lycanthropy. "I should've told you. Hermione, please don't blame yourself." Hermione looked at him for a moment then shook her head.

"I could really use that pitty party now," Hermione said softly and Remus grinned.

"I completely and utterly agree."

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Hermione hasn't COMPLETLEY forgiven Remus yet, but she's slowly getting there. I'm in no rush…MUHAHAHHA. Anyways, please leave a review, please oh please do. I love reading them and they make my day, and I want to thank everyone who has followed/favorite/reviewed this story, it means SO much to me!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Greetings Everyone! New chapter, hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of the Harry Potter Universe!**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Remus and Hermione walked back to the common room in silence. They were definitely on better terms after they had talked it about, but things weren't quite back to normal. Once they reached the common room, Hermione turned towards Remus.

"I'm glad we talked it out," Hermione softly said, "For the most part at least."

"Talked it out? The conversation mostly just consisted of you screaming at me." Remus said. If it were not for the smirk that was growing on his face, Hermione would've taken offense to the comment.

"You deserved the screaming," Hermione nudged him with her elbow and Remus nodded.

"Touché," He smiled and then sighed. "Sirius will come around, I know he will." Hermione nodded and pursed her lips.

"Thanks," Hermione tightly smiled and nodded her head. They stood there for an awkward moment then she cleared her throat.

"Well, goodnight." Hermione politely said, as she faced Remus.

"Er, Goodnight." Remus added and made a step towards Hermione. For a moment Hermione thought that he might hug her, but he didn't. The two parted ways and Hermione made her way up to her room.

She opened the door and was greeted with her three roommates, perched all on Alice's bed talking. Lily's head shot towards Hermione first, Lily was biting her lip and had a concerned look on her face.

"How did detention go?" Lily carefully asked and Marlene and Alice nodded eagerly. Hermione sighed and sat on her bed.

"Okay, I think. I don't want to kick Remus' arse as much as I did before." Hermione shrugged.

"So you didn't kick his arse then?" Alice raised an eyebrow and Hermione narrowed her eyes questiongly.

"No, I didn't." Hermione said after a pregnant pause. Alice's face spread with a grin and Marlene snapped her hand in frustration.

"Damn!" Marlene hissed and reached her hand deep into her pocket and pulled out 5 sickles and handed them over reluctantly to Alice, who stuck her tongue out in victory. Were they betting on her?

 _How very Fred and George of them,_ Hermione thought.

"So, you're not angry with Remus anymore?" Lily wondered and Hermione shrugged.

"I don't think I've completely forgiven him, but for the most part I guess." Hermione confessed.

"What even happened?" Alice asked, with confusion riddled in her voice. Hermione's eyes widened, she just remembered that these girls actually had no idea of what took place last week. For all they knew, Hermione probably cheated on Sirius with Remus. She cringed, trying to think of a way to clear the air.

"Uh, well once everything's back to normal I'll explain." Hermione promised lightly, hoping that once everything gets back to normal, everyone will have forgotten. Alice bit her lip but slowly nodded her head and Lily gave Hermione a reassuring smile.

"I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted." Marlene yawned and made her way lazily to her own bed. Hermione followed suit, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus walked slowly up to his dorm, rethinking the events of the night in his head. They were surely on better terms now, which made him feel at peace, but he couldn't help but wish none of this had ever happened. When he opened the door he found Peter was already fast asleep. As his eyes made his way around the room he noted that James was leaning up against the room in an annoyed fashion playing with his snitch, while Sirius was turned facing away from him.

"How was detention?" James asked with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk. Remus shrugged and sat down on his bed.

"She doesn't hate me anymore," Remus mused. James laughed loudly and shook his head.

"She never hated you; she only wanted to kick your arse." James giggled and Remus rolled his eyes.

"I let her scream at me for the most part," Remus admitted, sneaking a glance over to Sirius' bed. "She's still mad, but I think she's close to forgiving me now," Remus explained and James nodded.

"Here that Sirius? She's forgiving people, maybe you should-"

"Prongs, shut up." Sirius interrupted and flipped over to face the other two boys. Remus' smile faded as he looked at his friend. He was paler than usual, and his normally bright eyes were dim against the dark circles. Even Sirius' hair was looking thinner and a bit more limp than usual. Remus sighed, knowing it was his fault for his friend's shabby appearance, and also knowing that there was nothing he could do about it.

"I just think you and Hermione need closure," James added furiously, and Remus slowly nodded his head. They didn't really end on a good note, and obviously it was affecting both of them.

"I think you're a git with hair that is way messier than normal." Sirius pouted and Remus muffled his laughter.

"Hey!" James shouted and grabbed the closest pillow and sent it flying over the room to hit Sirius. It hit Sirius in the face then fell to the ground with a _thud._

"I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!" Peter screamed from across the room, sending the three other boys into hysterics. Remus stumbled into his bed and fell over, finally being able to sleep soundly for the first time in a while.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione woke up the next morning and found her room empty. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, debating on whether or not leaving her dormitory was a good idea. In the end, she decided she'd have to leave eventually and so she stood up and put her robes on. As Hermione made her way to the common room, she saw James and Lily talking to one another intensely. They were standing a bit closer than necessary, and had serious expressions on their faces. Hermione raised an eyebrow and walked up to the pair.

"Hello," She cleared her throat loudly, causing the two to jump. Lily turned around and her face was bright red, her eyes huge. James nervously reached a hand up to his hair and messed it up, then readjusted his glasses. The two looked at each other for a moment then Lily elbowed him in the ribs and smiled tightly at Hermione. Catching on, James cleared his throat.

"Er, hi Hermione." James' voice croaked and Lily rolled her eyes. Hermione crossed her arms and bit her bottom lip.

"Talking about something interesting, eh?" Hermione smirked and her two friends nervously laughed.

"Yeah, I'm sure Evan's thinks Potions is interesting." James nervously laughed and instead of getting mad like Lily usually did, she nervously laughed with him.

"Haha," Lily began, "You're right James, Potion's is interesting." Lily said a bit louder than the normal person might say. Hermione raised her eyebrow at the two and shook her head.

"Whatever. I'm going to breakfast." She said to the pair and walked away.

 _Weird._

She continued down to the Great Hall for breakfast and found a seat next to Marlene and acrossed from Alice, who was too engulfed with her boyfriend to even notice Hermione's entrance.

"Good morning," Hermione smiled at Marlene and the brunette raised an eyebrow.

"Morning. Feeling better I take it?" Marlene questioned and took a bite of her oatmeal. Hermione nodded eagerly.

"I'm done being upset; I have more important things to worry about." Hermione said firmly, in her mind she thought of the Horcruxes and Voldemort. Marlene however obviously misinterpreted this.

"Exactly! Exams are coming up in a few months! Lily's already making us revise with her." Marlene said as she took a drink of her pumpkin juice. Hermione tried to hide her surprise. _Exams!_ She definitely hadn't even considered that! She'd been too busy with her own drama she had completely forgotten about exams!

"Yes, I'll definitely have to start revising with you guys." Hermione attempted to hide her shock. Marlene nodded happily and went back to eating her food. Hermione looked down the table to see Sirius, Remus and Peter eating together. She made eye contact with Remus, who gave her a small smile in which she returned. Her eyes trailed over to Sirius next, who looked paler than usual and definitely not as handsome as he normally was. She frowned at his mousy appearance, and then his eyes caught hers. Hermione offered him a small smile, and Sirius held her gaze for a moment, his face was cold and hard. Hermione looked away quickly and cursed under her breath.

After she finished with her breakfast, Hermione murmured a goodbye and quickly set off for the library to pick up some books so she could begin to study. She turned a corner and saw James sprinting towards her. Hermione quickly looked behind her, to check to see if one of the Marauder's was there, but Hermione was alone in the corridor.

"James!" Hermione shouted as he nearly tackled her, steadying himself as he grasped both of her shoulders. "What are you doing?" Hermione asked as she pried his hands off her shoulders.

"I er, need help." James said lightly as he wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders and walked her down the corridor. Hermione fell into step with him, their height difference making it a bit awkward, but doable.

"James, where are we going?" Hermione asked hesitantly as they turned a corner. James cleared his throat and scratched his head.

"I need help," He repeated and Hermione stomped her foot stubbornly and halted their walk. "Hermiiiiiooooneeeeee," James strained as he attempted to pull Hermione down the hall. He stopped when he realized his effort were useless and sighed.

"James. What's happening-" Hermione began, but was caught off as James sprinted off ahead of her. "James! Where are you going?" Hermione yelled as she ran after him. He was behaving oddly, even for him. Hermione followed him around the corner, then stopped when she saw Lily standing there, with a tight smile on her face.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked suddenly as she turned to face James and Lily. The two looked at each other and James sighed.

"Hermione, this has to be done." He told her, then promptly stuck out his arms and shoved her into an open door behind her. Hermione hit the ground with a thud and looked up at James and Lily who were both staring at her with pitty but something else mischievous in their eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione gasped as she stood up. Lily gave her a pleading look, then with a flick of her wand, the door slammed shut. Hermione walked to the door slowly and pulled on it. It didn't budge. She slammed her fist into it impatiently, "Guys! Open up!" She hissed through the door. It was only when she heard rummaging in the back of the room that she turned around. She saw Sirius walking towards her, his head was down and he was opening a book and examining it, not bothering to look up.

"Er Lily, I think I might have found that book you were talking about-," Sirius stopped talking as he looked up at Hermione. He slowly closed the book and made his way for the door. He slammed his shoulder into it after it wouldn't open, and then banged his fist on it. "Lily, I swear!" Sirius shouted as he continued to shake the wall. "Fuck!" He swore under his breath.

"We're doing this for your own good, mate!" James yelled through the door. Hermione had never felt smaller in her whole life. "Talk it out!"

Sirius gasped and his jaw dropped, "You're in cahoots with James!" Sirius yelled at Lily through the door. Hermione could hear James murmur something to Lily and she let out a nervous giggle.

"I really am sorry about this, but you do need to talk it out. We can't have you fighting anymore." Lily gently spoke.

"We aren't fighting!" Hermione and Sirius hissed in unison, and then embarrassingly looked at each other. Hermione's face turned crimson and Sirius' paled. Sirius turned to Hermione and motioned to her with his hands.

"Use your wand; I left mine in the common room." Sirius explained. Hermione nodded her head and reached into her pocket, only to find it empty.

"My wand was just in my pocket a minute ago." She explained as she pulled out her empty hand.

"JAMES POTTER! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Hermione roared. She heard muffled talking on the other side of the door, then footsteps.

"They're leaving!" She gasped in disbelief as she turned towards Sirius, "I can't believe they're just leaving me here!" Hermione hissed as she pounded on the door once more. Sirius turned around and stalked towards the windows. Once they failed to open under his grasp, he let out a loud groan. Hermione awkwardly shifted in her shoes and looked around the room. It was another spare one, much like the one she brewed potions in. She found a chair in the corner of the room then brought it over towards the door. After she set it down, she sunk into it and tried to think of a game plan. Lily and James had warded the room so neither could leave, and taken their wands. They were trapped.

"Dammit!" Sirius hissed under his breath has he gave the door another shove.

"Sirius, it's not going to open," Hermione softly said as she reached an arm up to stop him from slamming himself against the door again. He looked as if he was going to protest, but stopped and looked at Hermione. The girl shifted under his gaze uncomfortably and cleared her throat.

"You still wear the necklace?" Sirius asked softly as he pointed to the small pendant that hung down her chest. She looked down and grabbed it. It had been his Christmas present to her, and she hadn't taken it off since.

"Haven't taken it off yet," Hermione smiled to herself, and then her eyes grew wide. "Er, sorry, here." Hermione awkwardly said as she fumbled with it around her neck. "You can have it back."

"No, no you keep it. Please." Sirius gestured quickly and Hermione's arms fell to her sides. He exhaled sharply and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Hermione." He began.

"I'm sorry too," Hermione smiled tightly and Sirius closed his eyes tight and shook his head.

"This sucks." He spat, and Hermione wasn't sure of what he was talking about.

"What sucks?" Hermione inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"This," Sirius gestured between the two of them and Hermione nodded her head.

"Sirius, what I said when you broke up with me, the fact that your reputation was true. I was lying, I was hurt and upset and I guess I wanted you to hurt too." Hermione admitted as Sirius sat down in front of her. "You're a great guy." Hermione said with a sad smile and Sirius nodded.

"Hermione, I didn't want to break up with you." Sirius said suddenly. "I still love you, I really do. Part of the reason why I've been ignoring you was because I was trying to get over you. But I don't think that's going to happen any time soon," Sirius said darkly and shook his head. "This sucks so bad." Sirius repeated once more. Hermione nodded and processed the information. She wasn't over Sirius; that was a fact. She missed him every day they weren't talking, and it had sucked not having him in her life.

"I still love you too," Hermione smiled at him. "Maybe we aren't meant to be together in that sense, but you were my best friend. I don't want us to stop talking again, it doesn't feel right." Hermione explained and Sirius nodded.

"I agree," He eagerly nodded his head.

"Maybe….For old times' sake, we could…" Hermione trailed off blushing. Sirius must have known what she was talking about, for he leaned in and pulled her face towards his. The kiss was familiar and old, she missed that kiss. But something still felt wrong. Sirius pulled away, just having their foreheads touch.

"Now that I know your Moony's mate, kissing you is a lot less fun." Sirius smiled as he leaned back again. Hermione laughed at that then gently shoved him.

"Something was off, wasn't it?" Hermione admitted as she thought back to the kiss. "Maybe like kissing your sibling?" Hermione offered and Sirius nodded eagerly.

"Exactly!" He said laughing, "I can't believe I didn't notice it before!" Sirius exclaimed as a grin spread acrossed his face. Hermione missed that grin.

"Hey! You were in love with me, that's why!" Hermione smirked and shoved him lightly.

"Still am," Sirius said quieter and Hermione's grin faded.

"Oh Sirius…" Hermione softly said as she leaned her head against his shoulder in comforting way.

"I missed you a lot," He admitted as he brought her in for a hug. Hermione nodded as well.

"I've missed you too," Hermione noted. "We're friends again, right?" Hermione turned to him and raised an eyebrow. Sirius chuckled and nodded.

"Yes," Sirius said simply

"Promise?"

"Yes," Sirius smiled.

"Good."

"Great."

"Perfect."

"Splendid."

"Fantastic."

"Wonderf-"

"Sirius, shut up and help me find a way out of here!"

~Until Next Time~

 **How'd you like it?**


	22. Chapter 22

**AN:** Greetings Everyone! New chapter is up, I hope you like it!. ALSO: Any good Remione, or Sirmione fics that anyone wants to recommend? I feel like I've read them all and I NEED more. So if you know of any, or write any, let me know in the Reviews! I'll totally check them all out!

And I am so sorry I haven't uploaded very recently. I got a new job and school is going crazy and I have barely had any free time to myself. But I am determined to finish this story and keep writing. So thank you for hanging in there with me. Hopefully updates will be coming more frequently now. That's also why I threw in two new chapters in one day, sorry to keep you guys waiting!

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything Harry Potter.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"Mine as well make ourselves comfortable, since we'll be spending the rest of our lives in this room." Sirius mused as he splayed himself out on top of one of the desks. Hermione glared at the boy and gave the door another kick.

"We've been in here for nearly two hours! How long did they think it would take?" Hermione gasped as the door budged a bit. "I think it's giving!" She said eagerly and gave the door another kick. Sirius looked over at her and rolled his eyes with a smirk. He was already looking better.

"They probably thought it'd take a while since you are the most stubborn person in existence." Sirius sassily smirked and then giggled as Hermione picked up a nearby book and threw it at him.

"Says the biggest git in the world!" Hermione stuck out her tongue and the door behind her swung open. A nervous looking James and Lily stood at the door, apprehensively. James stood protectively in front of Lily, and she was peering over his shoulder at the scene.

"I see our plan worked," James sarcastically noted as he pointed to the pair fighting. Hermione looked over at Sirius and let out a hard pressed laughed. Sirius joined her moments later and Lily shared a confused glance with James.

"We're clearly missing something," Lily noted. Sirius stuck his arm out and landed it on Hermione's shoulder in support through the laughter. Hermione was leaning against the door, attempting to wipe the tears of laughter away.

"I take it you've kissed and made up?" James raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. Hermione and Sirius were sent into another fit of laughter from that comment, seeing how it was quite true.

"You've got that right, mate!" Sirius said in between laughs and Hermione shoved him gently as she died down from the laughter. She assessed the situation and let out a sigh.

"Your wards are strong, Lily." Hermione noted and her red-headed friend beamed happily. James smiled down proudly at Lily, and Hermione had butterflies. These two individuals would be the parents of one of her best friends. The thought made her both happy and sad.

"Hermione, let's leave these two lovebirds to themselves," Sirius noted as he grabbed Hermione by the hand and dragged towards the exit of the room. Hermione couldn't suppress the giggles as she watched Lily's face blush and James' grin grow.

"Wait!" Hermione gasped, "My wand!" she yelled at James, who promptly tossed it to her and she gracefully caught it. "Aha!" She said with glee and Sirius barked out a loud laugh as they made their way out of the room.

"Freedom!" Sirius gasped mockingly as he threw herself towards the corridor wall and pretended to kiss and hug it. Hermione rolled her eyes and shoved him forward, in the direction of the common room.

"Come on, I want to tell everyone the good news." Hermione explained as she marched down the hall. Sirius raised an eyebrow and skipped a bit to catch up to her. "How do you think Remus will take it?" Hermione asked nervously as she took into account the other boy. Remus had offered her comfort whenever she mentioned Sirius, so why would he now be upset with her? She had an _official_ agreement with Sirius that they were much better off as friends. Remus didn't have any reason to be jealous of him. _Moony_ didn't have any reason to be jealous of him.

"Moony was actually pushing for it." Sirius admitted as they walked. "He hates that he broke us up, but it was bound to happen eventually, right?" Sirius put his hands into his robe pockets and tilted his head towards Hermione.

"Oh, alright." Hermione said after a moment of silence. She turned towards Sirius and narrowed his eyes."Sirius, you hardly asked any questions the night I er, told you about my past." Hermione awkwardly began. "It's a lot to take in, are you sure you don't have any other questions?" Hermione prodded. This had been on her mind almost immediately after she had told Sirius her secret. Remus had asked tons of questions, questioning nearly everything she said. Sirius almost accepted it, not bothering to ask nearly any. Sirius tentatively ran his fingers through his long, shiny hair and shrugged.

"I guess I was just overwhelmed with everything that happened," Sirius admitted. "And I don't think I want to know anymore than I do. You've came here to change this time and make it better right?" Sirius glanced at Hermione quickly and she nodded eagerly. "Then I trust you will. I'll follow your lead if I'm headed down the wrong direction. But for the most part, I kind of want to just figure it out on my own, ya know?" Sirius finished, shrugging.

"I like that," Hermione smiled at Sirius. She knew that this probably stemmed from his childhood. Having his parents tell him what he was doing nearly 24/7 would usually make one want to decide their own fate. "And I will change things," Hermione stated firmly as she nodded her head. "I'll make it better, I promise. Things will be different this time, I swear." Hermione swore more to herself than to Sirius, but he smiled reassuringly back at her.

"I know you will, and I'll help, and so will Remus, and James and Pete will be right by your side as well." Sirius promised as they walked up to the portrait.

After a moment of silence, Sirius cleared his throat. "So, you and Remus then?" Sirius quietly asked. Hermione's eyes went wide at the suddenness of the question.

"Sirius!" Hermione gasped, "Of course not, we just broke up!" She couldn't believe he honestly thought she was going to move on that fast.

"I just figured since the mate thing and all," Sirius slowly said as he inspected Hermione's facial expression.

"Just because we're mates, doesn't mean we're going to be together any time soon." Hermione nervously laughed. Sirius flushed a bit and shook his head.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked." He admitted as they entered the common room. Hermione gave him reassuring smile and they both sat down heavily on the couch next to the rest of the group. Marlene, Alice, Peter, Frank and Remus were in a heated argument. It seemed that Peter, Frank, and Marlene were on one side of the argument, while Remus and Alice were on the other. Hermione raised an eyebrow at Sirius and he shrugged back.

"It's obviously not going to work!" Alice announced loudly, her face was scrunched up as she looked at the other three.

"Thank you!" Remus said as he threw his hands up and leaned back on the couch.

"You're wrong," Marlene began, "Why wouldn't it be able to work?" She finished as she crossed her arms stubbornly.

"It's completely ridiculous!" Alice gasped as she shook her head.

"Alice, I'm madly in love with everything about you, but you're wrong." Frank smirked as he watched his girlfriend scowl.

"Frank, I'm madly in love with everything about you, but _you're_ wrong." Alice countered. Hermione watched as everyone began to talk over each other and she cleared her throat.

"What are you lot fighting about?" Sirius asked loudly and the group went silent. After a moment of starting at each other, they all began talking at once again rapidly.

"One person please!" Sirius beckoned and the group went quiet.

"Frank, Marlene, and Pete seem to think that if a girl were to carry a boy up the stairs, they wouldn't transform into a slide and fall down," Remus explained ruefully and Hermione's face spread into a grin.

"That's preposterous." She noted and Sirius gave her a funny look.

"What do you mean preposterous?" Sirius turned to her.

"It's obvious that the stairs will turn into a slide. The castle is smarter than you think, Sirius." Hermione reminded the boy and the group broke out in shouts again.

"See! Hermione agrees! And she's a genius!" Alice sneered at Frank who stuck his tongue out at her.

"Only one way to test it out," Sirius smirked and the rest of the group agreed. The group consensus was that Marlene should have to carry Sirius, since it was his idea. They gathered around the stairs and Marlene braced herself.

"Are you ready?" Sirius asked and she nodded determinedly. Sirius jumped on her back, piggy back style and she quivered underneath his weight. For a moment Hermione wasn't sure Marlene would be able to hold Sirius up.

"You sure you can do it?" Alice asked nervously and Marlene nodded.

"Think so," She breathed and then made her way onto one step. Nothing happened. The group was completely silent as she hoisted Sirius up to the second step, then the third, then the fourth. It was by the fifth step that Marlene managed to turn around and stare at the group, a grinning Sirius clinging to her back.

"AHA!" Marlene squealed and Sirius bragged as they faced the group. Hermione lifted an eyebrow and glanced at Remus whose eyes were narrowed in confusion at the two.

"Whose preposterous now Hermi-" Sirius attempted to yell, but was cut off when the stairs beneath Marlene melted into a smooth slide. Hermione watched as the two's eyes went very big and they waved their arms in the air in a frantic attempt to keep from falling. Sirius toppled over Marlene and fell headfirst down the slide. Marlene fell onto her knees and rolled down the slide clumsily, crashing into Sirius at the foot of the stairs.

"Oof!" Marlene gasped as she slammed her butt into Sirius' back. The two let out groans of pain and Sirius slowly pushed Marlene off of him.

"McKinnon, get off." Sirius muttered as he slid out from under her. Marlene rubbed her head and gave Sirius a kick for good measures. Peter helped Sirius up and Remus nudged Hermione and leaned down into her ear.

"Should've bet sickles." He whispered and Hermione couldn't help but burst into giggles.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

It was a week later and things were nearly going back to normal. Hermione and Sirius behaved normally again, minus the constant snogging. The Marauders' were sitting in the common room, talking about the quidditch match that was to take place later that day.

"Who are you playing?" Hermione asked as Sirius and James quickly donned their quidditch robes.

"We'll be playing Ravenclaw, so we should win." James said excitedly and Sirius nodded his head.

"The only player worth having is McGee." Sirius explained to Hermione, "She's bloody brilliant, but one bloody brilliant player against a team that works well together is nothing." Sirius explained and Hermione smiled. Sirius was right; the Gryffindor team was good this year, great even. They were expected to be even better next year as well. James was the best Chaser they'd seen in decades, and Sirius was a bloody good Beater. James was made captain this year, which didn't help deflate his ego at all. They had beaten Slytherin in a close game earlier in the season, and nearly lost to Hufflepuff, but Hufflepuff's Seeker was hit by a rogue bludger and the game ended soon after that.

"You're coming, right?" Sirius asked Hermione with a raised eyebrow. Hermione hesitated with a small frown on her face, and then slowly nodded.

"I guess I'll come." She said after a moment. Remus frowned at her. Why had she been so hesitant? He knew earlier in the season Hermione had made excuses to avoid all of the quidditch games. Maybe she just really hated the sport?

"Sit by Remus and I, we can narrate the game for you!" Peter said eagerly. Hermione smiled at him and nodded her head.

"Of course," She smiled at Peter then sent a quick glance in Remus' direction. James quickly stood up and slapped Sirius on shoulder.

"We should get going, want to get a few practice laps in before Ravenclaws there." James explained. Sirius nodded and turned to face the other three.

"I'd say wish us luck," Sirius smirked a very Sirius like smirk. "But I don't think we'll need it." He finished and flashed a bright smile and winked. Hermione giggled next to Remus and Peter snorted. James was almost out the door when he stopped and turned around and pointed a finger at Hermione.

"Is Lily going to come?" He tried to ask casually, but everyone in the room groaned and rolled their eyes.

"I don't know James, why don't you ask her?" Hermione smirked as James let out a groan and was pushed out of the room by Sirius who turned to the group and rolled his eyes. Remus turned to Hermione who was sprawled out on the couch now, her head rested up against Remus thigh. He could feel her heart beat slow, and calm. Unlike his own, which was racing faster than he dare admit. He stiffened under her touch and his breath caught in his throat. The tingling sensation he often felt when near Hermione spread throughout his whole body in a melody, starting from his stomach, and expanding to both ends.

"Er," Remus said as he pushed Hermione off of him awkwardly, "Let's head down to the pitch," Remus fumbled for his words as the tingling slowly faded away. "I er, want good seats." Remus said quickly as he headed for the door.

"Oh, okay." Hermione said as she stood up quickly and followed Remus out the door. She turned around towards Peter, who was still sitting in a chair lazily. "You coming, Peter?" Hermione asked him and he shook his head.

"I think, er, I think I'll go to the Great Hall and wait for Tara." Peter said shyly and blushed. Remus couldn't help but roll his eyes, Peter was deeply in love with a fifth year Hufflepuff, and he made sure the other boys new it.

"Alright then," Hermione said to Peter, "We'll see you later then." They both said goodbye to Peter and walked out the common room. As they made their way down to the pitch, Hermione anxiously looked around.

"Is everything alright?" Remus asked. "It's okay if you don't like the sport, it's not everyone's cup of tea." Remus said thoughtfully, and Hermione turned to him with a sad look in her eyes.

"No, it's not that Remus." Hermione smiled a bit. "Harry and Ron, my old friends, they used to live for the sport. Harry was very good, and Ron, er Ron knew more about the sport than I knew about any subject." Hermione admitted sadly and turned to Remus.

"And you think if you watch a quidditch match it'll make you miss them more," Remus finished for her and Hermione slowly nodded.

"It's weird, yeah know?" Hermione turned towards Remus. "James looks so much like Harry, it's incredible. But they couldn't be more different." Hermione sighed. "Harry was more like Lily I think. He's got some James in him, but I think I see more Lily in him." Hermione finished then looked up at Remus and blushed. "Sorry, this is probably really weird to talk about."

"No, it's okay." Remus smiled down at her. From what he knew, Harry and Ron were huge parts of Hermione's old life. They were her best friends, and from what he saw in the pensieve, they had saved each other's lives numerous times. Once, even from Remus himself. He cringed at that memory. It was a reminder of how dangerous he was, of how dangerous he could really be. The memory also brought a pain of another sort. He was Hermione's teacher in the future, old enough to be her father. The thought disgusted him. Hermione's question brought him out of his thoughts.

"James is really good then?" Hermione asked as they walked up the stairs to the stands. Remus nodded eagerly.

"Very good, best Chaser we've had in a long time." Remus smiled, "Is Harry, er, was Harry a chaser as well?" Remus asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, he was a Seeker, very talented too." Hermione noted as Remus raised an eyebrow. "Made the quidditch team in his first year." Hermione said proudly and Remus' jaw dropped.

"First year?!" Remus exclaimed, "James must've been the proudest-" Remus' words stopped as he looked at Hermione's fading grin. "Er, James would've been proud." Remus quietly corrected himself. Hermione grabbed Remus' hand firmly and gave it a large squeeze.

"I'm changing things." She reminded him and Remus nodded.

"I know," Remus said as he pulled Hermione into a tight hug.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

James was a good Chaser, that much had been true. And Sirius was quite a skilled Beater. It was a wonder they didn't play the same position, because there movements were identical and fluent. As James would fly acrossed the pitch, Sirius was there to deflect a bludger in the nearing opponents face. It was no wonder why the Gryffindor team was so skilled; they had constant chemistry that the quidditch team in Hermione's own time had lacked, and that was huge, seeing as the Gryffindor team in her own time was very talented. Marlene was on the team as well, she was the Seeker. Although she may have lacked the raw talent that James possessed, Marlene was much faster than him and lighter on her broom.

Hermione watched as the referee released the enchanted balls into the air.

" _Ravenclaws possession!_ ," A voice on the loud speaker called, sounding somewhat familiar. Hermione turned to Remus.

"Who's the announcer?" Hermione asked as she watched the Ravenclaw team lose possession of the Quaffle.

"Frank, Alice's boyfriend," Remus noted, his eyes not leaving the quidditch pitch. "It used to be Sirius, which was bloody brilliant, but he stopped doing that once James convinced him to try out for the team." Remus explained and Hermione's jaw dropped.

"You mean he's _new_ at this?" Hermione pointed to Sirius, who skillfully hit a Bludger in the direction of a Ravenclaw Chaser.

" _A nice hit from Black, knocking Marsen off."_ Franks voice rang through the air. Hermione was almost disappointed to not hear Lee Jordan's voice make rude comments throughout the match.

" _AND POTTER SCORES FOR GRYFFINDOR!"_ Frank cheered through the speaker, the stadium roared with cheers from the Gryffindor house.

Once they were done cheering Remus turned to Hermione and shrugged.

"Yeah," Remus nodded and smiled. "Are you surprised though? Sirius is nearly great at everything he does." Remus added without a hint of bitterness to Hermione's surprise.

"What made him decide to try out?" Hermione wondered as she watched Marlene zoom acrossed the pitch, the Snitch probably somewhere near.

"James' had been begging him to tryout since he made the team third year." Remus explained to her as James scored again.

" _POTTER'S UNSTOPPABLE!"_ Frank roared and the crowd cheered again. " _TWENTY-ZERO, GRYFFINDOR IS WINNING!"_

"What made him change his mind?" Hermione questioned as a Ravenclaw Chaser by the name of Duncan avoided a Bludger hit by Sirius.

"Regulus made the Slytherin team," Remus explained, "I think Sirius wanted some revenge." Hermione nodded at that, it wasn't hidden that Sirius and Regulus didn't get along.

" _I think McGee's spotted the Snitch!"_ Frank yelled and Hermione gripped Remus' arm with anxiety.

"Remus!" Hermione hissed and stomped her foot impatiently as the Ravenclaw seeker flew by the crowd, obviously on the mission. Remus smiled down at her and shook his head.

"Hermione, what do you want me to do?" Remus laughed at Hermione's panicked expression.

"GO MARLENE GO!" Hermione screamed as her friend raced past them. The brunette swerved between players, chasing after the Ravenclaw Seeker. Camille McGee was a good Seeker, Sirius had been correct about that. McGee was short and curvy, with dark skin and bushy hair that rivaled Hermione's own. She was better on a broom than Marlene, but Marlene was faster. Camille's hand outreached for the Snitch, but suddenly pulled away to dodge an oncoming Bludger.

"Black!" Hermione could hear Camille hiss as she regained her balance on her broom. But it was too late. Marlene quickly dove down to the Snitch and reached out her hand, just barely able to grasp the Snitch.

"MCKINNON! MCKINNON! MCKINNON!" The crowd roared and the blonde flew down to the ground and held out her arms in victory. Hermione excitedly turned towards Remus and threw herself at him, giving him a large bear hug as he held her up. Once done embracing, Remus led Hermione eagerly onto the pitch.

"Great game, Marlene!" Hermione congratulated the girl whose face was flushed from the recent activities. Marlene nodded eagerly.

"Thanks," Marlene beamed, she opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could talk, Sirius swooped her up and balanced her on his shoulders.

"MCKINNON!" He roared and the rest of the Gryffindor house cheered along with him. Hermione happily looked around at the smiling faces. James was blushing as Lily congratulated him and Hermione couldn't help but shake her head.

~Until Next Time~

 **This chapter was a ton of fluff, but fluff is nice. Please leave a review on what you think.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Greetings Everyone! So this chapter is a bit shorter than usual, but that's just because my muse for this story is coming in shorter burst than longer ones. It makes it a bit easier to update as well! Tell me what you think in the reviews!**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Full moon was coming soon, and Remus was getting anxious. Ever since Hermione and Sirius broke up, the wolf had definitely died down, not nearly as aggressive as it had been once before. But that didn't soothe Remus' worries. The wolf insisted on spending an ungodly amount of time near Hermione the week before the full moon. He was afraid she would have caught on quite quickly, but it seemed to be that she enjoyed spending that time together just as much as he did.

"Full moon this weekend?" Hermione asked in a quiet voice, one afternoon while the two were studying for exams in the library. Remus nodded his head reluctantly.

"Unfortunately, yes." Remus said bitterly as he flipped a page of his potions book. Hermione looked at him sadly.

"Severus and I are working very hard on the potion," Hermione explained a bit anxiously. Remus smiled at her appreciatively. He knew that one of her main goals at the moment was to make Wolfsbane for Remus to use. She had been stressing out about it even more after Remus' outburst, probably wanting to prevent a future occurrence.

"I know, and I'm very grateful to have a friend to do that for me." Remus smiled back at her and Hermione blushed and ran a hand through her bushel of hair.

"How are you feeling so far? Fatigue? Nauseous?" Hermione questioned after a moment of silence. Remus shrugged. Honestly, this had been the best he had felt on a week leading up to the Full Moon in ages, possibly ever.

"Actually, pretty well." Remus admitted. Hermione frowned at him and quickly wrote something Remus couldn't make out down on her paper.

"Really?" Hermione gasped. "Do you think you've done anything differently to change that?" Hermione's face was scrunched up in the way it usually did while she was thinking. Remus shifted uncomfortably in his seat and opened his mouth and paused.

"Er, Hermione." Remus awkwardly began as he cleared his throat. Hermione looked up at him with a raised brow, quill in hand. "I actually think it has to do with you." He smiled tightly at her. Hermione' mouth opened, and then she shut it quickly and blushed.

"Oh... The mate thing." Hermione realized quickly and avoided eye contact with Remus. He cleared his throat and pushed back the embarrassment of the situation.

"Have you felt it as well? When you're near, I guess I just feel more at ease. It's almost eerie." Remus admitted as he played with a fraying string on his jumper, looking down. When Hermione remained silent, Remus quickly dared a glance up at the girl. She looked as though she was recalling a memory and slowly nodded her head.

"Yes, I suppose I know what you mean." Hermione explained softly. "Hmm…Do you have any urges?" Hermione asked once again in a professional voice. Remus snorted. She had probably meant urges to beat the living hell out of his friends again, but he had taken it in a different way.

 _Claim!_

 _Mate!_

The wolf screamed inside him. Hermione was already his mate. That had been done when he put the protective claim on her. But to put a physical claim on her, to _mark_ her was a whole different story. Intimacy was usually the way a werewolf would mark his mate, instinct told Remus that. By marking her, it was basically a sealed deal. Hermione would still be his mate no matter what due to the protective claim. But to mark her was to seal an already made deal, the most definite urge. And those urges were much stronger closer to the full moon. Way more containable, but stronger none the less.

"Remus," Hermione snapped her fingers in front of his face, "Remus, where'd you go?" She waved her hand in front of his face as he came back. He shook his mind of his wandering thoughts, and then embarrassingly cleared his throat.

"Sorry," he blushed. "You were saying?"

Hermione smiled at him understandingly and nodded her head. "Remus, I was asking you if had any urges, like last time." Hermione said a bit impatiently as she regarded the last full moon. Remus paled and slid lower into his seat, he wanted to badly forget about the last full moon, but it looked like that would never happen.

"No, not really. Not after..." Remus trailed off and Hermione tilted her head.

"Not after what?" She pressed. Hermione always pressed, that's what she did, if she wanted to know something, she'd probably crush the information right out of you.

"Not after your relationship ended." Remus awkwardly explained. Hermione blushed a bit but nodded.

"So the wolf feels like it's not in competition anymore?" Hermione noted as she scribbled something down on the parchment.

"I have no competition," Remus said in a matter of factly way without thinking. Once he had reevaluated what he had said, his face paled and his jaw dropped.

"Oh, really?" Hermione said with a Sirius like smirk. Remus didn't know whether he should hex Sirius for teaching her to smile that way, or to thank him.

"What I mean is-," Remus began but Hermione held up a hand to hush him.

"I'm only joking Remus," Hermione nervously laughed before Remus clamped his mouth shut and turned crimson in shame. The bright red color must have been noticeable because after a moment of looking, Hermione smiled at him.

"What's that look for?" Remus asked a bit defensively as Hermione laughter stopped.

"What look?" She asked innocently, drawing her hand up to her chest, as if insulted by the insinuation.

"That look!" Remus pointed at her face and Hermione shrugged.

"Oh, I was just thinking back to when we first met. I made you blush, and I remember I was thinking if you'd ever stop blushing when you got to know me." Hermione explained, and then with a wide Cheshire cat smile, she giggled.

"Oh," Remus said, blushing a bit more.

"You haven't, by the way." Hermione said knowingly.

"Er, haven't what?" Remus cleared his throat and messed up his hair, a habit that James had dropped on him.

"You haven't stopped blushing," Hermione said obviously and Remus narrowed his eyes.

"You do your fair share of blushing as well," he reminded her and Hermione narrowed her eyes back.

"Says you!" Hermione teased as she pointed her quill in Remus' face menacingly. Remus rolled his eyes at that and sighed loudly.

"When's your next meeting with Dumbledore?" Remus changed the subject. Hermione frowned and shrugged.

"He's been away," Hermione said quietly. "On Horcrux business I think." Hermione added hastily and Remus gave her an uncertain look. Hermione looked away quickly, and then cleared her throat. "What if I can't do it?" She said so quietly that if Remus didn't have hypersensitive hearing he might not have been able to hear it.

"What if you can't do what?" Remus raised a brow and leaned in a bit closer.

"What if, what if I can't stop Voldemort?" Hermione spoke breathlessly. "What if he still kills Lily and James? What if Peter ends up betraying everyone anyways? What if Sirius gets sent to Azkaban and what if you end up all alone? What if I fail?" Hermione paled and she looked down. Remus frowned, where had all of this insecurity come from? Why was Hermione suddenly so unsure of herself?

"Hermione," Remus began as he reached over and grasped her hand in his. "What brought this on?" He questioned with a raised brow. Hermione sighed and reached her hand into her bag and pulled up a folded Daily Prophet. She slammed it down on the table in front of Remus and crossed her arms. Remus shied away at first and then slowly reached his arm out and grabbed the paper. Hermione looked away with an expression Remus couldn't read and he looked down at the newspaper, it read.

 _ **Muggle Orphanage Plagued with Dark Mark**_

 _A Muggle orphanage was found pillaged and burnt to the ground. The Dark Mark was seen overhead the incident. Witnesses say that Death Eaters surrounded the orphanage and proceeded to attack it. It is too early to determine whether there was any direct affiliation with Voldemort and the targeted orphanage, but will be determined shortly. There were no survivors._

Remus licked his lips and sighed. This had been what Hermione was so distraught about. He shook his head at the news, disgusted with the recent proceedings. Voldemort's attacks were becoming more often and usually had even more victims. Of course it wasn't Hermione's fault, she couldn't have stopped this Death Eater attack, even if she did know some elements of the future, she couldn't save everyone.

"Hermione," Remus began softly. "You couldn't have known." He reached across the table and squeezed her hand for comfort. Hermione cringed and ripped her hand away.

"No, Remus. I could've known. I should've known and I should've stopped it." Hermione said coldly as she crossed her arms.

"Hermione…" Remus trailed off, not quite knowing what to say. These types of things didn't happen every day.

"No, Remus!" Hermione gasped. "Children! Innocent children died because of me!" Hermione shook her head violently and her face paled. "Lives, poor innocent lives," Hermione muttered sadly and slowly fell into Remus' chest. Remus hesitated at first, but then wrapped his arms around her naturally.

"Think of the lives you will save," Remus whispered into her ears. Hermione smiled into his chest as tears fell down her face. "It's not you against the world Hermione, I'm here. Sirius and James and Peter are here as well. We'd do anything to help you." Remus rubbed the side of her arm up and down comfortingly and Hermione let out a small whimper.

"Okay," She said shakily and wiped the tears away from her face and sniffled. Hermione slowly pulled away from the embrace and sniffled. Remus stared into her eyes for the first time in a while. They were red and puffy from crying and they stood out in a bright contrast against her pale skin. She looked sallow and almost dim; Remus wondered if this was because of the recent stress. Hermione leaned a bit closer to him, and parted her lips slightly. Remus thought for a moment she was going to kiss him, but footsteps from behind jolted Hermione away.

"Er, am I interrupting something?" A voice that cleared their throat from behind them and awkwardly interrupted. Hermione turned around before Remus did, and Remus could see a smile slowly form on her swollen face.

"Severus," Hermione smiled lightly and Remus paled. _Severus?_ Could his timing be any worse?

"Snape," Remus said tightly as he turned to face the boy. Severus looked from Hermione to Remus, and Remus thought he saw the corners of his mouth lift slightly.

"Hermione, may I have a word?" Severus with a raised brow, an annoyed look plagued his face. Hermione looked from Severus, then at Remus once more and cleared her throat.

"Whatever you want to say to me, you can say it in front of Remus." Hermione declared and Remus beamed. The wolf inside him howled from happiness and he couldn't shake the shit eating grin that he wore. Severus looked a bit uncomfortable and parted his lips slightly.

"Granger er," Snape stumbled over his words and looked over to the girl for help. Hermione shrugged and nudged towards Remus.

"Just spit it out," Hermione pressed impatiently and Severus rolled his eyes.

"Will you come to Hogsmeade with me?" Snape said quickly and Remus could feel his heart stop. He went frigid and held back a quiet growl. First Sirius, now Snape? Next to Remus, he could feel Hermione's heart speed up at the question. Remus dared a glance at Hermione, who gave him a confused look back, and Severus seemed to notice.

"Oh! God, not like that!" Severus said quickly. His face red and horrified, "Definitely not like that!" Snape put his hands up defensively and took a step back from the pair. Remus could feel Hermione shake next to him with laughter and then he began to laugh as well. Snape however, stared at the duo impatiently until the laughter stopped. Hermione raised an eyebrow at the Slytherin, urging him to continue.

"We need more ingredients for the potion," Severus said obviously and Remus could feel Hermione relax next to him.

"Oh," Hermione perked up. "Good idea, I think I could pick up some more books as well." Hermione added eagerly. Remus snickered next to her and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Alright, well this Saturday is a Hogsmeade weekend." Severus said shortly, "So we'll go then." Hermione nodded next to Remus, and then inhaled sharply.

"Severus, I don't think your friends would like us hanging out together," Hermione said a bit coldly to Severus. The boy blinked once in front of them, then sighed loudly.

"They weren't the best friends to have, were they?" Snape snapped bitterly and Remus nodded his head slightly.

"Alright," Hermione said after a moment of awkwardness. "Do you want to meet in the Great Hall, then?"

"Yes," Snape nodded curtly, "I have to go, but maybe you should continue studying, in er privacy." Severus sneered then stalked away. Hermione blushed deeply and gave Remus a pleading look, which sent him into a fit of giggles. Remus' looked at Hermione with wide eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you and Severus, dare I say, friends?" Remus pretended to be astonished. Hermione rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"I-I don't know," She stumbled as she watched the boy walk away. "I'm glad he's done sneering all the time," She snorted, "but I don't know if everyone else will be too thrilled." Hermione said with a scrunched up face. Remus agreed, he doubted anyone would be too happy with Hermione's newest friend. Especially James. While Lily was usually over the incident that ended her friendship with Snape, James clearly was not. Sirius was right up there with James, wanting to hex the boy whenever he had the chance. Remus wasn't fond of Snape, he didn't even like him as a person. But for the Slytherin to help Hermione make the Wolfsbane potion, coerced by Dumbledore or not, was something that made Remus tolerate the boy, thankful even.

"I think once the boys understand why, they won't mind." Remus said thoughtfully and Hermione nodded.

"Let's hope so," Hermione smiled at Remus and shoved her book back into her bag. "C'mon, let's go get something to eat, I'm starving." Hermione said as she threw her bag over her shoulder and marched out the library door. Remus smirked and skipped to catch up to her.

~Until Next Time~

 **Please review and thanks so much for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

**New chapter, please review!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all of the Harry Potter universe.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione woke up earlier that Saturday morning. She stretched out long on her small bed and let out a ferocious yawn that could compete with Ginny. She quietly took in her surroundings. Lily was curled up into a small ball at the front of her bed. Her large white comforter nearly covering everything but her small nose that poked out. Hermione glanced at Marlene next, who very much unlike Lily, was sprawled out on her bed. Marlene's pillows and blankets were thrown completely off the bed, leaving her bare and cold. She shivered slightly and Hermione snorted. Alice was face first into her pillow, snoring slightly she made quick jolting movements with her foot, as if she were a sleeping dog. For a moment Hermione thought she was awake, but it turned out she was just muttering in her sleep.

Hermione slowly got off her bed, making sure not to wake her friends. She dug through her trunk to find a robe to wear, and paused over the photo album Remus had gotten her for Christmas. She tended to look through it when she felt especially lonely or sad; it made things a bit less painful. She paused over the time turner that sent her back. Lifting it up very carefully, she held it in her hands. Hermione always thought it was so weird how such a small object could be so powerful. Such a small piece of magic could alter your life completely.

Alice made a loud groaning noise, and Hermione nearly fumbled the time turner in her hands and slowly set it back down in her trunk. Turning around quickly, she found all three girls still soundly asleep, and exhaled in relief. Hermione exhaled and walked over to Marlene's bed and covered her back up with her blanket. Marlene sighed in content and rolled over, causing Hermione to stifle her giggles. After staring at the girls a moment longer, Hermione stalked out of the room.

She had wanted to leave the Gryffindor common room before any of her friends could catch her meeting up with Severus. She still wasn't sure that they would take that news very well. She walked down the stairs carefully, trying not to wake anyone up and safely got to the common room. As she rounded a corner to leave her heart stopped.

"Ahem," Sirius' voice called from behind and Hermione slowly turned to face him. She kept her head low and looked at her shoes. "And where might you be off to on this fine spring morning?"

"Hello Sirius," Hermione politely nodded at him. Of course of all the Marauders to run into her, it had to be the one that pried. He looked her up and down and Sirius crossed his arms skeptically, and leaned against the wall.

"Off to breakfast?" Sirius asked with a raised brow and Hermione quickly nodded her head.

"Uh, yes." She fumbled through the lie and made a step towards the door. Sirius raised a hand for her to halt and jogged up to her.

"Well wait, I'll come with, and then we can go to Hogsmeade together," Sirius mentioned as he threw on his robe. Hermione cringed; of course he'd want to go to Hogsmeade with her _this_ weekend. She slowly backed up a step and looked up at him. It was still odd to see a young, innocent Sirius Black, instead of an older broken one. He was still handsome in her original time, but weathered by his years in Azkaban. In this time though, Sirius was young and free and new. He was whole. And Hermione was going to keep him that way.

"Uh, actually…" Hermione trailed off looking at everything but Sirius. She wasn't sure how he'd take to her going to Hogsmeade with Severus. It was later in the year, so not as many students would go to Hogsmeade this time around, and she was hoping that included her friends.

"Hermione!" Sirius gasped and covered his mouth with his hand. "You've got a date!" He stated and Hermione's eyes went wide, horrified and embarrassed. "Moony finally got enough nerve to ask you, huh?" Sirius smiled with a wicked grin and nodded happily to himself. Hermione cringed, obviously Remus didn't ask her, they were just friends, and they wouldn't have gone on a date. Obviously.

"No, Sirius. Remus didn't ask me to go to Hogsmeade, and I don't have a date." She clarified firmly. The mere thought of going on a date with Severus Snape made her stomach drop. Sirius tilted his head and narrowed his eyes.

"He didn't ask you?" Sirius scratched his head dumbly. Hermione swore she thought she heard him mutter, _bloody git,_ under his breath, but she couldn't be sure. "Well, want to go with me? We can meet everyone else at the Three Broomsticks." Sirius offered after a moment. Hermione slowly shook her head.

"Just because I don't have a date, doesn't mean I don't have any prior engagements." Hermione reminded Sirius and he squinted back.

"Mione," He began and Hermione lifted up a hand to shush him.

"Sirius, I have plans. Maybe another time." She snapped and stalked off quickly, looking back once or twice to make sure he wasn't following her. She hadn't meant to be so harsh, but she was already a little late, and she couldn't have Sirius figuring out she was meeting with Severus. Even if it was for Remus, she knew it would still make Sirius edgy. Hermione rounded the corner quickly, nearly bumping into Professor Slughorn as she continued down to the Great Hall.

"Granger!" Severus hissed by the doorway. Hermione waved an arm at Snape and she could see him roll his eyes from acrossed the large room. She snickered as she finally made her way to him.

"Do you have the list of ingredients?" Hermione reminded him and Snape scoffed.

"Do you take me for that idiot Black?" He sneered at her as they walked out the door quickly. Hermione flinched, Sirius could be an idiot, but he had good intentions.

"Hey, that's my friend," She reminded the Slytherin who rolled his eyes.

"I thought he broke your heart?" He raised a brow and Hermione quickly blushed.

"We mutually decided we were much better as friends," Hermione raised her head haughtily as they crossed the Hogwarts grounds. Severus shook his head.

"No such thing as _mutually,_ " She heard him hiss from under his breath. Hermione ignored the comment and stuck her hand out for the list of ingredients. After she read it over for a minute she turned to Severus and raised an eyebrow.

"How do you know your friends won't catch you with me?" She asked suspiciously.

"How do you know your friends won't catch _you?"_ Snape retorted back and Hermione shrugged.

"I don't," She admitted and Severus turned to look at her.

"They should be preoccupied." Snape admitted. When Hermione raised a brow he cleared his throat. "My friends I mean, they should be preoccupied." Hermione nodded her head quickly. She wanted to know what he meant by this, but didn't want to mess with his temper so she stayed quiet.

Once they reached the Potions store, they respectively decided to split up. Hermione went to the left side of the store, slowly scanning the shelves. She knew something was wrong with the Wolfsbane potion. It was either they weren't adding the ingredients in the correct order, or they weren't letting specific parts of the potion steep long enough. Hermione had no idea which one it was. Once she collected the required ingredients she found herself looking at cosmetic potions.

 _Sleekeazy's Hair Potion_

 _For every type of unmanageable hair imaginable!_

 _Brought to you by, Fleamont Potter!_

Hermione read the description and held the bottle close to her face. Could Fleamont be any relation to Harry? To James? It would seem odd, considering James and Harry's hair was completely unmanageable, but Hermione made a mental note to ask James about it later. She quickly set it back down when Severus' voice brought her back from her day dreams.

"Sleekeazy's?" Snape sneered from behind her. "I don't think anything can manage your hair." Hermione turned around and scowled at Snape.

"Look who's talking," Hermione retorted back and Snape rolled his eyes and tucked a piece of greasy black hair behind his ear. After they were done checking out, Hermione stalked off to the bookstore.

"You can go back to the castle," Hermione began as they walked away. Severus tilted his head and then shook it.

"I'll just wait, make it fast." He snapped and Hermione rolled her eyes. She browsed the bookshelves ignoring Severus' demand and taking her time. If there was one thing Hermione needed with books, it was time. She slowly ran her hand over each of the books bindings, like she usually did. Back in her own time, Harry and Ron would impatiently groan whenever she dragged them to the library. Insisting that they had more important stuff to do then study, which usually meant that there was a quidditch match to prepare for. It pained Hermione that her friends didn't care about their scores and grades as much as she did. It was odd that they never quite understood how important their studies were. To Hermione, if she didn't excel in her studies, she almost felt she would be kicked out of her own world, the only place she's truly belonged. She knew that realistically that would never happen. But to be opened up to something so amazing, so completely different than the world you grew up in, was magical, and Hermione never wanted to lose it.

Hermione walked up and down the aisles, scanning the various books, and eventually she picked up two interesting books on the basics of Potioneering and quickly checked out. Severus dragged Hermione out of the bookstore quickly, pushing her along the winding path.

"Why are we sprinting?" Hermione asked sarcastically as she walked faster to catch up to Snape.

"I want to get back," Snape muttered quickly and pushed Hermione along.

"Severus, seriously stop, I can't keep up!" Hermione demanded as she grabbed a put a hand on his shoulder to make him stop. When he turned around to face her, he had a pleading look on his face. Hermione had never seen Snape make such an expression, and she honestly never knew he could.

"Please, hurry." He said begged and Hermione slowly nodded her head. Before they could begin walking again, a loud popping noise suddenly filled the air. Hermione looked around quickly, and was greeted with the familiar faces of Death Eaters.

"Snape!" Hermione screamed, "Get down!" She yelled as she grabbed his shoulder and sunk to the ground behind a rather large rock. She heard the loud cackling of Bellatrix Lestrange and her face paled. The last time she was faced with Bellatrix, things had not gone so well. Hermione gripped her wand tight in her hand and inhaled sharply.

"We need to get out of here!" Hermione hissed to Severus, who was slowly sitting up now. Severus looked back at her with sad eyes, eyes that Hermione couldn't understand. "We could run, I could throw a stunning spell and we could make a break for it, they wouldn't chase us back to Hogwarts!" Hermione explained quickly as she looked up over the rock at the Death Eaters. Hermione cringed when she saw Lucius Malfoy's face. He looked so much like his son that it made Hermione physically ill, but not as ill as when she looked at Bellatrix.

She was much younger now; the years in Azkaban had yet to touch her skin. Her long black hair draped down her back like a curtain, complimenting her pale complexion. She would be beautiful, Hermione noted, if it weren't for her eyes. They were wide and crazy, the thirst for death obviously apparent in them. Hermione whimpered when she saw the woman, thoughts of her last encounter ringing back into memory. She looked around and noticed Rosier and Macnair flocking Malfoy, much like Crabbe and Goyle did his son. She sunk back behind the rock and looked at Severus.

"We need to leave," She explained and Severus gulped. He looked down at his wand and shook his head.

"Hermione," He said quietly, "I'm sorry."

Hermione screwed up her face and backed up from the Slytherin. "Severus, what did you do?" She said in a low growl, much like Remus did. Snape shook his head violently and grabbed Hermione by the shoulders.

"Over here!" Snape shouted loudly, and shoved Hermione over the rock, sending her falling on her hands and knees, and her wand several feet in front of her. _That little rat!_ Hermione thought bitterly as she slowly looked up.

Bellatrix was standing there before her, arms crossed and an evil grin spread acrossed her face. She nodded her head eagerly and grabbed Severus by the shoulders and pushed him eagerly over to the other Death Eaters.

"Well done boy, the Dark Lord will be very pleased!" Bellatrix hissed hotly into his ear, Hermione watched as Snape recoiled slightly. Her eyes fell back down to her wand. It was only a few feet in front of her, if she could just crawl to it, perhaps she could disarm her way out of here, or at least send a Patronus to Dumbledore. That is, if he's even at Hogwarts right now.

Hermione slowly moved one hand, then her leg. She slowly attempted to crawl towards her wand, until an evil laugh stopped her in her tracks.

"Stupid girl!" Rosier growled and sent a foot directly in Hermione's gut. Hermione staggered to the side off balance, but still on all fours. She looked up at Rosier and spit out the blood that was filling up her mouth, that wasn't a good sign. "This is the one then?" He asked Lucius and the pale man nodded.

"I'm willing to bet my entire fortune." Lucius noted as he looked Hermione up and down. Hermione flinched away, not wanting to be kicked again. Lucius must have seen this, and let out a loud cackle. "I wouldn't dirty her up much more," He commented to the other Death Eaters, "The Dark Lord will want her able to function clearly. I'd hate to have any other mishaps." Lucius sneered as he sent a glare at Macnair, who looked down quickly.

"How did you know we would be here?" Snape asked slowly, daring a quick glance at Hermione, who was heaving in pain.

"Information on the inside!" Bellatrix laughed crazily and shook Severus. The boy paled and looked away quickly. "Please let me!" She turned quickly towards Lucius. "The Dark Lord won't mind if _I_ gave her something to remember!" Bellatrix hissed as she twisted her wand in between her fingers. Hermione looked down at her hands, her eyes widening. _Did Bellatrix want to torture her?_ Although the thought wasn't so uncommon, the woman was insane. Lucius rolled his eyes but nodded slowly. Bellatrix rounded on Hermione fast, her wand directly in Hermione's face. She was breathing heavily.

"Cruc-"

"Stupefy!" A voice from behind Hermione screamed, knocking Bellatrix off of her feet. Hermione looked up quickly, and was surprised to Sirius and Remus standing behind her, both clearly out of breath and shaky.

"Protego!" Remus yelled at the Rosier, who easily dodged it. In the midst of the chaos, Hermione quickly scrambled towards her wand. Her hand landed on it, but was immediately crushed by a foot that slammed down on her, hard.

"Ah!" Hermione gasped as her hand remained planted to the ground. She slowly looked up and saw Lucius standing above her, with his wand directly in her face.

"You filthy little-"

And then everything went dark.

~Until Next Time!

 **CLIFF HANGER! MUAWAHAHA! Please don't hate me, I'll update soon I promise. Anyways leave a review on what you think!**


	25. Chapter 25

**Greetings everyone! Hope you like this chapter, please review!**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Hermione was kneeled below Lucius, her hand crushed under his foot.

"You filthy little _bitch_!" Lucius sneered and stomped down harder on her hand. Hermione let out a blood curdling scream and Remus' stomach flipped. Lucius pointed his wand at Hermione and muttered something Remus couldn't comprehend; Hermione fell limply to the ground. Remus felt like he was on fire, desperate to help his mate, he growled.

"Protego!" Remus screamed at the Rosier, who easily deflected it. The duel went on much like this. Daring a glance at Sirius, he saw him in very much the same position. Remus' eyes darted around the scene, and found Severus standing towards the outskirts, wand in hand but a fearful look in his eyes. He was breathing heavily, and almost looked like he was _crying?_ No, that's not right, Severus didn't have feelings. _Right_?

"Let her go!" Remus growled as he threw another hex at Rosier. The man laughed loudly and turned to look at Malfoy for a moment.

"Why? Wouldn't want us to dirty up your little girlfriend?" Rosier sneered as he sent a curse to Remus. He knew that Sirius and he wouldn't be able to fight off the Death Eaters forever; it would be a tireless fight.

"I've got her," Lucius called from behind and Sirius growled next to Remus. "Let's go-" Lucius was halted by a stunner sent straight to the back of his head, his body toppled on top of Hermione's and Bellatrix let out a loud hiss.

"You're filth!" She screamed at Sirius as she ran towards Lucius. She raised her wand high, and grabbed him around the shoulders. "Macnair! Rosier! We're leaving!" She hissed. The two men who were fighting with Sirius and Remus nodded their heads slightly. Remus was about to throw a curse back at Rosier, when there was a loud popping noise, and the Death Eaters were gone.

Remus sprinted towards Hermione's body which lay lifelessly on the dirt floor. He grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up, towards him. He shook her in his arms and choked back a sob that ate at the back of his throat.

"Wake up!" Remus hissed into her ear, shaking her a bit more violently. "Hermione, please!" He begged with the unconscious girl and held her tightly. Remus could feel Sirius standing behind him, silent and in awe of the situation.

"She needs help!" Severus' voice hissed from the other side of the clearing. Remus head shot forward and he let out a low growl. This was Snape's fault, this was his doing.

"I'll kill you!" Sirius yelled from behind Remus and Sprinted over to Severus, wand pointed menacingly at the boy. Severus shivered at the threat, but remained still.

"She needs help," Severus said a bit more calmly, causing both Remus and Sirius to growl.

"She needs you to not betray her every chance you get!" Sirius hissed as he shoved Severus to the ground. The Slytherin shied away from the attack, and slowly crawled away from Sirius. "You awful little rat! First Lily, now this?" Sirius spat as he stepped towards the Slytherin.

"Sirius," Remus called from behind him. "She needs help; we need to get her to the castle. We'll deal with him later." Remus pleaded. Sirius gave Severus an evil glare before nodding his head slowly. "I'll help her to the castle; you make sure Severus doesn't run away." Remus said boldly as he easily lifted Hermione up into his arms. Sirius followed suit and grabbed Severus by the collar and lifted him off the ground easily, shoving him in front of the group.

"If you move, I'll hex you." Sirius threatened as he jabbed his wand into Severus' back. The Slytherin nodded slightly and stumbled forward.

The four of them made it up to the castle without incident; it was helpful that Sirius was still carrying the Marauder's Map. They made their way quickly up to the Hospital Wing, nearly throwing Hermione down on a bed and screaming for Madam Pomfry.

"Oh dear," Madam Pomfry winced as she looked at the unconscious Hermione. "What happened to her?" She asked the three boys.

"One of Lucius Malfoy's specialties, I'm guessing." Sirius snapped as he looked over a pale Hermione. "Well, what was it?" Sirius demanded from Severus who promptly shrugged.

"I'm not sure, I need to see Dumbledore." Snape told the boys and the two Gryffindor's nearly growled.

"Oh, trust me Severus, you'll see him." Remus spat and Snape glared at the boy menacingly.

"I did what I had to do Lupin. We're living in a war." Snape said so quietly only Remus would hear. Remus turned his head to Snape then shook it disgustedly.

"You don't betray friends in a war." Remus said simply and Snape sneered.

"Who said she was my friend?" Snape hissed and Remus had to grab Sirius to stop him from attacking Snape. "And I didn't betray her! I knew there would be a meeting but I had no intention of bringing her into the middle!"

"Boys! No fighting, you'll need to leave now, she'll be fine, but you need to leave!" Madam Pomfry hissed at the boys, pushing them out of the Hospital Wing. The three boys fumbled over each other, and Sirius was the first to react.

"We're going to Dumbledore," He said firmly as he grabbed Snape by his shoulder and thrusted him in front of the two boys. Once they reached Dumbledore's office, Sirius cleared his throat. "Barganese Berries" Sirius said quickly and the Gargoyle slowly moved out of his way. The three boys scurried up the stairs and Sirius threw Snape to the ground in Dumbledore's office.

"Headmaster!" Sirius nearly yelled and the old wizard happily looked over at the three of them.

"Please sit down." Dumbledore smiled at them. Sirius gave Remus a confused glance but sat acrossed the old wizard anyways.

"I think you have something you'd like to share, Mr. Black?" Dumbledore asked Sirius. Sirius nodded his head slowly, and then launched into the long ramblings of the past event. After he was finished explaining in length detail, Dumbledore nodded appreciatively at Snape. Remus noticed the glance, and before he could stop himself he slammed his fist impatiently down onto the desk.

"Why are you condoning this?!" Remus asked bitterly. Sirius continued to glare at the old man. Dumbledore cleared his throat and turned to the boys.

"Do either of you have any idea of what The Order of the Phoenix is?"

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"You won't be able to do it," Harry said, smiling down an evil grin at Hermione. She took a step away from him quickly, and glanced around at her surroundings. She was in a large dark room, with a small fireplace in the corner, roaring with life. The light from the fire made it possible to see her friend, sitting across from her on the ground.

"Harry!" Hermione squealed and threw her arms around the boy tightly. "I've missed you, I've missed you so much." Hermione said quietly as she pressed her head into Harry's neck. She held him closer, she wouldn't let him go this time. The boy in her arms shook violently, vibrating almost within her grasps. Hermione pulled away quickly and held the boy at arms length, just enough to closely inspect her friend. He was Harry alright, messy dark hair and bright green eyes, the scar directly on his forehead. His glasses were even as crooked as Hermione remembered. The smile however, wasn't Harry's. It was larger than normal, forced even. It didn't quite reach his eyes. Hermione smiled at him sadly.

"You won't be able to do it." Harry repeated. Hermione didn't see his mouth move, but she was sure it was Harry's voice.

"Do what?" Hermione asked.

"Save them." Harry's mouth opened wide and he let out a loud cackling laugh, much like Bellatrix's. He laughed and laughed and Hermione slowly stepped back. Harry followed, but his movements were jerky and quick. Not human. Hermione gasped as she slammed into something behind her, turning around she faced Ron.

"Ronald!" Hermione cried as she inspected him. Much like Harry, he was wearing a large grin, too large and not anything like his original smile.

"You'll fail." Ron giggled crazily and Hermione gasped, it wasn't his laugh, it wasn't his smile.

Hermione took a few steps to the left, into the dark and away from Ron and Harry. It was from that view; she could see thin strings tied to the boys that lead up to the ceiling. Puppet strings, tied to the head, arms, back and legs of each boy. Hermione followed the strings up, and in the midst of the dark room, she could make out Dumbledore, happily jingling both Harry and Ron around and making them dance. A blood curdling scream brought Hermione's eyes back down. Before her on the floor, were bodies piled on top of eachother. Naked and pale, sallow and dim. They were dead, numerous dead bodies stacked on one another before her. Hermione's hand shot to her mouth to hide her shock. She fought the urge to vomit and reached into her pocket for her wand, but found it was empty. Hermione retched and wiped the tears away as she walked toward the pile. Slowly inspecting it, Hermione paled. Sirius' eyes were wide and pale, staring past Hermione, a ghostly smile haunted his face. Underneath Sirius was Marlene. Her usually bright blonde hair was soaked with blood and her eyes were slightly opened. Hermione began to sob when she saw a dead Lily and James cradling each other. James' face was blank, but the pain was still apparent on Lily's. She shook her head violently from side to side; she covered her ears and let out a heart wrenching scream.

"Your plan will fail, and everyone you love will die." A casual voice rang out loud in the room. Hermione curled into herself and slowly sobbed. Slowly, the room became brighter. And Remus was standing at the center, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Hermione sprinted towards him and threw herself around him, thankful for a familiar face.

"Remus," Hermione began and sobbed into his shoulder.

"How could you do this?" His voice suddenly cold and bitter. He stared at her frigidly, and then shook his head in disgust.

"Remus, what are you-," Hermione began but Remus stuck his arms out and shoved her back.

"You killed them." Remus spat and Hermione flinched. But Remus remained angry. "You promised they would live, and you promised you would save Sirius. You promised you wouldn't let me be alone. I'm alone." Remus closed his eyes tight. "This is your fault."

Hermione's mouth opened wide. "Remus!" She screamed.

"Remus, Please! 

"Hermione, Hermione dear, its okay!" An older women's voice rang loud in Hermione's ear. Hermione's eyes slowly blinked open and she took in her surroundings. The hospital wing, she was in the hospital wing. It was a nightmare, and an awful one at that.

"What happened?" Hermione asked suddenly as she attempted to sit up. A pair of gentle hands grasped her shoulders and laid her back down onto the bed.

"I'll go get the boys; they'll want to know that you're awake." Madam Pomfry told her kindly and marched out of the room. Hermione looked around quickly and memories came flooding back; going to Hogsmeade with Severus, being surrounded by Death Eaters, Lucius stomping on her hand. Hermione looked down at her right hand and found it in nearly perfect condition. Madam Pomfry was a miracle worker. Hermione slowly sat up, ignoring the blood rushing to her head. She steadied herself on the bed, and then slowly put one foot on the ground, then the next one. She felt extremely tired and groggy, like she had been sleeping for months.

"Hermione, sit down." Remus' voice commanded her from the doorway. Hermione looked up quickly and saw Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter all walking into the room towards her.

"Remus, shut up." Hermione said tiredly and attempted to cover a yawn. Remus rolled his eyes and gently laid her back down onto the bed.

"I'm going to kill Severus," Hermione said simply once all of the boys were around her. "I'm going to do it with my bare hands." She promised the boys and all of them looked uncomfortably around the room.

"I'd advise you to please, refrain from killing students, Ms. Granger." A soothing voice called from behind all of them. Dumbledore stood in the doorway, and smiled at the five teenagers. Hermione immediately paled, as much as she wanted Severus dead right now, she would never have said such a thing in front of Dumbledore. The old wizard walked towards her bed and turned toward the four boys.

"May I please speak to Ms. Granger alone? I know you have been waiting all night, but this will not take long, I promise." The four boys looked amongst each other anxiously then slowly nodded their heads. Hermione's jaw dropped. They had waited all night? How long was she out of it?

"Er, sure." Hermione heard Remus anxiously reply, before turning around and giving her a sad smile. Once all four of the boys sulked slowly out of the room, Dumbledore turned to Hermione.

"One would guess you are quite confused at the moment," Dumbledore hummed as Hermione looked up at him.

"One would be correct." Hermione said shortly, narrowing her eyes at Dumbledore. What sort of game was he playing here?

"Severus I'm afraid, had landed himself in quite the dilemma." Dumbledore spoke softly. "The boy had gotten himself mixed up with the wrong sort."

"Voldemort's sort." Hermione interjected quickly and Dumbledore nodded.

"He came to me, after a particularly hard meeting with the other Death Eaters," Dumbledore explained. "He explained his problems, and I offered him a way out."

"You made him a spy," Hermione quickly corrected him, putting the pieces of the puzzle quickly together. Dumbledore tilted his head at this, but nodded anyways.

"I did what had to be done," Dumbledore looked down at the girl with his eyes twinkling.

"He's just a child. We're all just children, fighting in a war that doesn't belong to us." Hermione snapped bitterly and Dumbledore nodded his head.

"I agree, but I also believe that if we do not try to stop him now, your own children will be fighting in a war that does not belong to them. You of all people should know that, Ms. Granger, considering you were one yourself." Dumbledore pointed out and Hermione groaned loudly. He was correct, in her own time, Voldemort was still at large. Hermione had no problem sacrificing herself for the cause, but she didn't want her friends to be at risk as well.

"I don't like it," Hermione firmly stated. "You shouldn't have asked Severus to do that, you should have protected him."

"What you must understand, and I hope you will because I have been told you are quite the brilliant witch, is that everything I do is for the greater good." Dumbledore explained.

"How is the Horcrux hunting going?" Hermione interrupted quickly. Dumbledore frowned at the harshness of her tone, and then cleared her throat.

"Ms. Granger, why do you think Voldemort summoned his Death Eaters to collect you?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione shrugged, she hadn't really thought about it.

"I, I'm not sure." She said after a moment.

"The Horcrux hunting is going quite successfully, if I may say so. Voldemort has his suspicions of you. From where, I am not completely sure. Severus is spying for our side, not Voldemort's. It wasn't him that betrayed you. But if one to guess, I would say you had made quite the impression on Mr. Mulciber and on the younger Black boy, no doubt?" Dumbledore raised a brow. Hermione sunk lower into her seat, she probably should have kept herself off of their radar, but she didn't know this would be the consequence.

"They wouldn't know my, er, secret though, would they?" Hermione asked quickly and Dumbledore shook his head.

"Severus explained to me that Voldemort seems to think you are a seer." Dumbledore explained. Hermione's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"A seer?" Hermione asked, "Why would he think that?"

"It seems an inside source has put it into his head that you may know some things you probably should not." Dumbledore said. Hermione nodded slowly, and then she blinked.

"So Severus had to pretend to turn me over?" Hermione raised an eyebrow questiongly and Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Once he understood the situation he was in, he had to act as though he were on Voldemort's side. As you were ambushed by the Death Eaters, Severus had no choice but to betray you He did so on my orders. He needed to keep up his image." He explained.

"You trust Severus is working on your orders then? You trust he isn't actually with Voldemort?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at her headmaster and he nodded.

"Quite certain, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore reassured her. Hermione cringed, she wanted to believe that Dumbledore was correct, and she didn't think he would lie to her, but he would do whatever he could for, ' _the greater good.'_

"Can I talk to my friends now?" Hermione asked quietly, avoiding eye contact with the old wizard.

"Of course," Dumbledore nodded and walked away. Hermione slammed her head onto her pillow as soon as Dumbledore was out of sight. Moments later, the four Marauders came pounding in quickly.

"Mione!" James gasped as soon as he saw her again. Hermione smiled at the boy who looked just like her old friend.

"James Potter," She began, a wide grin growing on her face. "Are you by chance, in relation to a certain wizard name Fleamont Potter?" James rolled his eyes and nodded his head.

"My father, and a bloody great wizard he is!" James said proudly as he crossed his arms. Hermione giggled and shook her head.

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Hermione began, "I was just curious as to why the inventor of Sleekeazy's son, refuses to wear any of the product?" Hermione raised a brow curiously and James instinctively ran his hand through his hair and muttered something.

"What was that?" Sirius asked from the other side of the bed and James turned bright red.

"Shut it, Padfoot!" James snapped at him and rolled his eyes at Hermione. "How are you feeling?" He wondered. Hermione nodded her head.

"Okay, a lot better now that you lot are here." She admitted as she smiled at the four boys. As her eyes fell onto Remus she cringed.

"Remus, you look worse than I do." She said pointedly and Remus shrugged.

"Full Moon's tomorrow and it doesn't help not knowing if your mate was going to be alright," he said a bit bitterly and Hermione flinched.

"Sorry, I forgot." Hermione said sheepishly and Remus shrugged.

"I haven't."

"Hermione!" Sirius waved his hand in front of her face happily and changed the subject.

"Guess who just became the four newest members to the Order of the Phoenix?" Sirius gushed. Hermione's smile slowly faded. She knew that they were ready; she knew that they knew enough about the real world to be able to join, but she something had changed inside her; she didn't want them in danger.

"No," Hermione's smile fell as Sirius nodded his head excitedly.

"We just got inducted this morning, won't be doing much till we're out of school, but at least we'll be a part of something, ya know?" Sirius explained and Hermione slowly nodded her head.

"Maybe Dumbledore will let you join too!" Peter squealed excitedly. Hermione nodded her head, if only Peter knew that she was a part of something much bigger that the Order.

"Of course he will!" James said, "She's brilliant!" Hermione blushed at that then sighed.

"What happened after I was knocked out?" She turned to Sirius.

"Well, Snape hit Lucius with a stunner, then the Death Eaters apparated. We carried you back to the castle and you've been out since then." Sirius explained quickly. Hermione let out a large yawn and nodded.

"Thank you," She said quietly to Sirius and the boy blushed.

"Anything for you _._ " Sirius said sarcastically and Hermione threw a fist into his side. The boys filed out one by one, eventually leaving because they wanted to rest before the full moon tonight. Remus hesitated about leaving, and Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"I, uh brought you this, in case you wanted something to read." Remus said hesitantly as he held out a book in front of him.

 _A Tale of Two Cities_

Hermione read the title and smiled.

"Oh, I should probably get going then." Remus smiled at her then began to walk off.

"Remus, wait." Hermione called from her bed. "Stay, a little while longer?" She asked. Remus couldn't hide the grin he had if he tried. He nodded his head and walked back over towards the bed. Hermione rolled over to the farthest part of her bed, giving Remus plenty of room to join her. Remus stared at the bed timidly then gracefully hopped on it next to her.

"Read me the book," She asked as she curled up into his side and laid her head down onto his chest. Remus wrapped his arm around her lazily. Without any effort, they fit together so perfectly. It was nice.

Remus cleared his throat and with one hand opened the book and began to read.

" _It was the best of times,_

 _It was the worst of times,_

 _It was the age of wisdom,_

 _It was the age of foolishness,"_

As the words slowly floated around Hermione's head, she slowly fell back into a sleep, not once lightening her grip on Remus' side.

~Until Next Time~

 **Please review! I know Snape's motives seem a bit confusing. But he was not the person who sold Hermione out to Voldemort. Someone else planted it inside Voldemort's head that Hermione was a seer, but it was not Severus. He gave Hermione up once they were ambushed, but that was just to keep up appearances.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Greetings everyone! New chapter, please review!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling Owns everything Harry Potter**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione woke up suddenly; she threw her body to the right, and slammed into something warm and frigid.

"Ouch," It said to her dryly. Hermione stuck her arm out and moved her hand around timidly, feeling a face, and feeling a familiar tingling feeling race through her.

"Remus," Hermione noted as she opened her eyes to look at the boy. They were cuddled up in the hospital bed, his arm was around her waist and her head was now nestled into his neck. After a moment of just silently listening to each other breathe, Remus let out a loud sigh.

"What did Dumbledore say to you?" Remus raised an eyebrow and Hermione groaned, not quite wanting to talk about Dumbledore right now.

"He's okay with sacrificing people." Hermione said a bit bitterly as she sat up. "He's okay with letting innocent children die if he can win in the end." Hermione shook her head angrily and groaned. "I don't like that he let you boys into the Order, I don't like it at all." Hermione admitted a bit angrily and Remus nodded.

"It was bound to happen eventually, Voldemort's raising his ranks, why shouldn't we?" Remus asked and Hermione glared at him.

"Dumbledore can't just manipulate a bunch of children into fighting a war. It's not right." Hermione spat. "Do you know what he said to me? He said that he was willing to do whatever he could for the greater good. He's willing to _kill_ all of us if that means Voldemort's gone." Hermione finished. Remus looked up at her and sighed. He slowly made his way up and out of the bed.

"Hermione, I don't like it either." Remus said suddenly, throwing his hands up into the air. "I hate it actually, its messed up. This whole world is so messed up, and if I'm just a puppet that Dumbledore can use to help win the war, I'm not going to be happy with it, but I'm going to let him." The mention of the word _puppet,_ sent Hermione back into her nightmare. She gasped and tears started filling her eyes. Remus noted this and comfortingly put a hand on her shoulder.

"Remus," Hermione began as she willed the tears away. "I don't want to be a pawn anymore," Hermione said angrily. "When I accepted the mission to come back into this time, I knew that my main priority was to stop Voldemort. But now that I'm here, I've made friends. I've made a new family. I've made an actual life…I was okay with sacrificing myself in the beginning, I had no attachments. But now…Now I don't want to leave you guys...Now I'm scared." Hermione confessed as she stared sadly at Remus. The boy inhaled sharply and at her words and shook his head.

"I won't let him do that," Remus said earnestly and Hermione laughed a bit at that.

"You're going to stop him?" She smirked through the tears and Remus narrowed his eyes at her.

"I'm a werewolf, remember?" He said threateningly and Hermione shook her head.

"Let's go to the common room, I can't stand another minute in this place." Hermione said sharply and Remus nodded. They both looked around the hospital room for Madam Pomfry. Finding that it was empty the pair quickly snuck out the door. Once they were out in the hallway, Remus checked his watch.

"Full moon will be soon. I won't be able to stay with you much longer," He noted a little sadly. Hermione nodded and her head sunk a bit. She was so used to spending nearly all of her time with Remus, that it was always a bit hard when she realized she would be sleeping peacefully in her bed, while he was savagely in pain.

Once they reached the common room, Hermione found Sirius and James snuggled together on the couch, spooning and sound asleep. Peter was sprawled out on a chair, and a giggly Lily was standing in front of the scene with a muggle camera, snickering quietly. When she turned around to see Hermione and Remus, she frowned a bit.

"Evidence," She shrugged as she held the camera up to them and the two nodded quickly, stifling their own laughs. After a moment of staring at them Lily sighed, "I heard what happened at Hogsmeade." She smiled supportively at Hermione. Hermione nodded quickly, not knowing how much Lily actually knew. If she knew about Severus, and not about the potion they were making together, Hermione didn't think Lily would be too pleased.

Seeing Hermione's worried facial expression, Lily's eyes got wide. "No, it's okay; I know why you were with Severus." Lily said gently as her eyes flickered to Remus.

"Wha-what?" Remus and Hermione exclaimed in unison. Hermione grabbed her hand in his and squeezed it tightly. Remus relaxed at her touch, but still remained a bit frigid.

"Remus, it's okay." Lily said softly as she took a step toward the pair. Remus instinctively took a step backwards and Lily blushed. "Sorry, full moon tonight, I forgot you usually get antsy." Lily apologized politely and looked around the empty common room.

"H-how?" Remus stuttered as he shook next to Hermione.

"Remus," Lily cleared her throat and began. "I'm not dumb, I've known for a while." She smiled reassuringly at the pair and Hermione couldn't help but snort out a laugh. Of course Lily knew! She was nearly as brilliant as Hermione, and it's not like Remus could hide it too well. Remus paled at Lily and he shook his head.

"I haven't told anyone, don't worry." Lily said firmly. "And I don't plan to." Remus slightly smiled at that and nodded his head.

"How long have you know?" He asked. Lily shrugged.

"Third year, I had a theory towards the end of second year, and over the summer I did a bit of research." Lily admitted sheepishly and Remus nodded.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Remus! I would -I would never do that!" Lily said quickly. "And I don't think any different of you for it!" Lily gasped suddenly and Remus nervously looked at Hermione nodded eagerly.

"Do, er Marlene and Alice?" Remus asked awkwardly and Hermione shook her head.

"No, they're smart, but not too observant." Lily admitted and Remus nodded, a bit more confidently. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything this close to the full moon." Lily admitted and Remus shook his head.

"No, I'm glad you've told me." Remus confessed and Lily smiled brightly at him. "Is that why you always took extra notes for me on the days I was absent?" Remus asked suddenly and Lily nodded.

"Well, James handwriting is awful, and Sirius hardly pays attention himself, and I never wanted you to get behind because of something you can't help." Lily rambled and Remus stalked over to her and lifted her up into a gigantic hug, causing Hermione to break out into a small smile.

"Oi!" James called from the couch as he opened an eye. "You have your own woman!" He yelled and motioned toward a laughing Hermione. Hermione instantly stopped giggling and scowled at James. Remus sat Lily down and shook his head with laughter.

"Are you done napping yet?" Remus asked a bit anxiously as he turned toward the three boys. "I'd like to head out to the Shrieking Shack a bit early." He admitted and Sirius' eyes went wide and he pointed to Lily.

"Remus!" Sirius hissed. Hermione watched as he Sirius ran a hand through his hair anxiously and gaped at the two. Remus shrugged and looked around the room, checking to see if it was still empty.

"She knows, mate." Remus admitted and Lily crossed her arms behind them, and slowly shook her head.

"For awhile," Lily added and Sirius paled.

"How?!" He nearly yelled and Lily flinched.

"It wasn't that hard to put it together. I had a hunch, and then I started researching on it, and after that, it was a bit easier." Lily admitted and James gave her a questioning look. "I'm not going to tell anyone, I swear it." Lily looked at the three boys and seriously declared. Sirius' eyes were still narrowed at Lily, but James was staring at her with a wide grin spread acrossed his face, looking at her like she was the only person in the world that mattered. Peter however, was looking at her a bit sleepily and didn't seem to quite be with it.

"Like I said, we should start heading down soon." Remus reminded the group and they group of boys murmured in agreement. They began to stand, and shuffle out of the room. Hermione winced as Remus left, knowing that he'd be suffering for the next twelve hours.

"Be safe," Hermione smiled as they walked out and the four boys each grinned at her and gave her sarcastic thumbs up.

"Moony couldn't hurt a fly," Sirius announced as he slapped a hand on Remus shoulder loudly. Remus let out a low growl and Sirius' eyes went wide. "Well, better be off," he said quickly as he led Remus out of the room. Hermione sighed once they left, falling onto the couch behind her and shoving her head into a cushion.

"You're his mate, then?" Lily asked and Hermione's eyes shot open.

"What?!" Hermione asked suddenly as she sat up to face the pretty red head. Lily shrugged and tucked a piece of dark red hair behind her ear.

"You're his mate." Lily repeated firmly. "It makes sense now, why you and Sirius broke up, why Remus looks at you like you're the most wonderful thing in the world. It explains a lot actually." Lily decided and Hermione blushed.

"I don't know what you mean." Hermione sunk lower into the couch, wanting to disappear.

"Hermione, give it up. I know, I'm not dumb and I was bound to figure it out eventually." Lily explained sharply and Hermione sighed loudly and covered her face embarrassingly.

"How'd you find out?" Hermione groaned. Lily shrugged and sat down on the far end of the couch.

"Something about you two…" Lily trailed off. "The way you act when you're around each other for starters. You always seem a bit more at peace; you're both not nearly as fidgety as you usually are. After the incident with Remus and Sirius though, I knew for sure. I saw the way Remus looked at you while you were dating Sirius. It was so sad; I just thought he had a crush at first... But after hearing about the incident, I sort of put two and two together." Lily explained in such a casual manner that Hermione thought they could be talking about potions or quidditch. "I did a fair bit of research after that as well. I was beginning to wonder if either of you two knew, and it looks like it." Lily smiled at the girl and Hermione shook her head.

"Lily, how do you keep finding out everyone's secrets?" Hermione laughed off, but on the inside she was a bit anxious. What would Lily say if she knew Hermione was from a future where she didn't exist? What would James say for that matter?

"I have my ways," Lily grinned and pointed towards her head. "But I do have one question." Lily announced and Hermione raised a brow.

"What could that be?" Hermione wondered.

"Remus is, you know, a werewolf and every full moon he disappears, but so do James, Peter, and Sirius. They can't honestly be _with_ Remus, can they? That's far too dangerous." Lily pondered and Hermione smirked.

"Lily, I don't think that's my secret to tell." Hermione said carefully and Lily huffed then narrowed her eyes at Hermione.

"They aren't in danger though, are they?" Lily wondered. Hermione quickly shook her head and relief flushed onto Lily's face.

"No, they aren't in danger." Hermione reassured the red head and the girl smiled a bit. After a moment of awkward silence, Lily cleared her throat.

"Do you like him as much as he likes you?" Lily raised an eyebrow and Hermione's eyes widened. "You and Remus, I mean."

"Yes. We're friends." Hermione clarified and Lily snorted.

"Hermione, we've already established that I'm not stupid." Lily said dryly and Hermione cringed. How did she feel about Remus? They were becoming a lot closer again, and she loved spending time with him. He was great with a lot of things, and their personalities meshed quite well. But Hermione feared that part of the attraction was due to the fact that they were mates. Hermione didn't want to like someone because the universe shoved it into her face that she should. She wanted to like someone because she genuinely enjoyed them as a person. And she did enjoy Remus as a person; she liked him a lot actually. But she wanted that to be on her own account, and his own account as well.

"Lily, if I liked him, you'd be the first to know." Hermione reassured Lily and the girl rolled her eyes.

"If you say so…" Lily smirked and then tilted her head at the brunette. "You missed dinner didn't you? Do you want to go down to the kitchens?" Lily offered and Hermione shook her head.

"No, I'm not particularly hungry, at the moment." Hermione explained, "Plus, I don't want to be around when Madam Pomfry finds out I escaped the hospital wing." Hermione cringed, thinking of the screaming she would most likely have to endure.

"Okay, well I'll be up in the dormitory if you want to come." Lily smiled and Hermione hesitated. She had been pretty tired, but she couldn't sleep to well knowing that Remus was going to be in pain. She usually felt moody during the full moon, but why did she suddenly feel so guilty too?

"Actually…" Hermione began, "I think I'll wait down here."

"Wait, for what—wait all night for Remus?" Lily gasped, "You really do have it bad Ms. Granger." Lily shook her head and grabbed Hermione around the elbow and pulled her off the couch. Hermione protested at first, then figured that the best thing she could do was probably wait patiently in her dormitory, and be there for Remus when he woke up. Hermione marched up the stairs and followed Lily into their room. She threw herself down onto her bed and as she was unable to sleep, she began to read.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus stood before his friends, who were already in their animal forms, waiting for the transformation. He looked down at the three animals, which all looked wide eyed at their friend; concerned looks even plagued them in their animal form. Remus reached a weak hand forward and flicked the large stag on the nose, causing it to thrash its head around. James stopped suddenly and gave Remus a dry look. Remus couldn't help but snort as he scratched the large black dog behind the ears and poked the rat in the gut. Sirius licked one of Remus' hands appreciatively and Peter let out a squeak of discomfort. Remus frowned, knowing he'd be feeling plenty of discomfort soon.

The moon hung low in the sky, glaring menacingly at the boy. Remus' fists tightened as he felt the first affects of the moon take place. The three animals in front of him new enough now to give him space. Remus could hear his heart racing and blood pumping faster around his body. His spine lengthening and his soft skin growing coarse hair. Excruciating pain struck through Remus' entire body. It felt as someone had lit a fire from his insides and he couldn't quite put it out. The breaking of his bones made Remus scream out in agony, and the large black dog whimpered at the sight. Remus slowly fell to the ground, unable to hold himself up. Soon, where once stood a boy, stood a large brown wolf, whose nose prodded into the air and let out a large sniff. Moony let out a loud howl into the night, stating his presence and then returned to his surroundings.

He bounced around the shack for a moment, taking in the surroundings and sniffed each of the animals as he usually did. The three boys new by now to stand perfectly still while Moony greeted them. Once Moony finished sniffing Sirius, he let out an amused howl and the other animals joined in by making noise. Moony slowly walked towards one corner of the shack, then the next and suddenly in very jerky motions, he was pacing.

Soon the wolf was running wild on the grounds, flanked by the three other animals. Moony loved to hunt; rabbits and small deer were always his favorite, even if it made the James a bit uncomfortable.

After nearly catching four rabbits and two deer, Moony slowly returned to the shack, he gave one quick look up at the fading moon then sighed, dreading the painful return. Remus usually never remembered much of the return, but he had scars to prove it.

Remus woke up in the hospital wing, weak and tired. He let out a soft whimper and felt a nurturing hand on his cheek, gently stroking it. His eyes blinked open slowly, and registered Hermione, standing before him and smiling sadly.

"Mione," He said hoarsely and Hermione nodded.

"I'm sorry," She said quickly and laid her head gently on his chest. The action, from anyone else would have probably sent Remus into excruciating pain, but not from Hermione. Where her head rest, a soothing sensation spread throughout and down his body, relieving him slightly of some of the pain.

"Don't, it's not your fault." Remus said quickly and Hermione shook her head.

"I don't know what I'm going to do about the potion," She admitted quietly, and Remus' heart sank. "I don't think I'll be working with Severus anymore, and I don't honestly think you'd want me to be," Hermione confessed and Remus slowly nodded. Remus knew that Severus had probably been forced into being a spy by Dumbledore, but that didn't excuse his actions at Hogsmeade. Hermione could have been seriously injured or killed, but what did Dumbledore care, right?

"Maybe Lily?" Remus offered quietly, and Hermione's eyes went wide.

"Of course! Of course Lily could help! Remus, you're brilliant, why didn't I think of that!" Hermione gasped as she smiled brightly at the thought. Remus smiled as well, still finding it a bit odd that the red head had known about his infliction for so long, yet did nothing about it.

"Look who's awake!" Sirius' voice called loudly from the door and Remus slowly turned his head to face the boy. "Want to hear some particularly awful news?" Sirius raised a brow. Hermione cringed and Remus shrugged.

"Not particularly," He told the boy, but Sirius ignored the comment. Sirius cleared his throat loudly and lifted up what looked like to be the _Daily Prophet_. As he began to read, Remus' heart sunk.

 _ **Wanted for Questioning**_

 _Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Evan Rosier, and Fredrick Macnair are currently wanted by the head of the Auror office for questioning. Auror's have visited the Malfoy Manor, and have found it completely evacuated and cleaned out. One particular witness said that it looked as if the Malfoy's had packed up all of their things and vanished. Bellatrix Lestrange was last spotted in Hogsmeade this past Saturday along with Rosie, and Macnair. All four of these witch and wizards are wanted for questioning on a case that is yet to be disclosed to the public yet. If you have any whereabouts on any of these wizards, please contact the head of Auror's office, Alastor Moody._

"They've escaped?" Hermione gasped as she shook her head violently. "I can't believe they got away! They cursed me, in plain sight!" Anger radiated off of Hermione and Remus felt himself fire up as well.

"I'm just surprised the Prophet printed off their names, quite risky really." Remus admitted as he glance the paper over himself.

"I'm surprised that Dumbledore even reported it," Hermione rolled her eyes darkly and shook her head.

"They've gotten away, and there just going to attack Hermione again," Sirius spat and shook the newspaper in front of them, "This isn't going to do anything." He declared and the other two sadly nodded.

"I told Dumbledore to watch out for them, I warned him. They should all be rotting away in Azkaban right now, not out free." Hermione viciously explained and Remus agreed eagerly.

"We won't let them near you again Hermione," Remus promised and Sirius nodded his head as well.

"We promise." Sirius smiled down at the girl.

"I know," She said smiling softly.

~Until Next Time~

 **Please leave a review and I hope you liked it.**


	27. Chapter 27

_**Greetings everyone…You've been waiting for it…and I have finally delivered. Get ready for…..REMIONE!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything.**_

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione could neither prove nor deny the fact, but she was convinced that Sirius and Remus were not letting her out of their sight since the Hogsmeade incident. After the full moon, Hermione was sure that there was an unspoken agreement between the two boys, and it furiously annoyed Her. In the beginning, Hermione had been flattered by their constant presence, thinking that she was just more enjoyable to be with as of late. But it soon grew obvious that they were doing in it some odd way of protecting her. Hermione didn't say anything to the two boys, knowing full well that she could take care of herself if the need be, but not wanting to tell that to the boys. She feared that they may even be more persistent in it if she attempted to protest. Not that Hermione was going many places these days that she had wanted to keep secret. Usually she spent most of her time either in the common room, or the library, trying to study for the upcoming exams.

One day, when Hermione had found herself—for once in a very long time—alone. She quickly walked down the corridor, not used to the sudden emptiness that plagued the castle. She felt an eeriness surround her and quickly whipped her head around to find a nervous looking Severus Snape, only a few feet back. Hermione's hand squeezed tight on her wand, and her teeth were clenched tight.

"Snape," She hissed at him civilly and the Slytherin nodded his head meekly.

"I had too," He blurted out suddenly. "I didn't want too, but it was Dumbledore's orders. I didn't have a choice." Hermione snorted at this. _Jumping right into things, are we Severus?_ She thought bitterly. "It wasn't me who sold you out to Voldemort! There is still someone out here who is targeting you."

Hermione stood eerily still, "I could have died."

"I wouldn't have let that happen!" Severus said earnestly as he took a step towards her. Hermione instinctively took a step away and cringed.

"Don't," She warned quickly and heard footsteps behind her. "You don't have to be his puppet Severus; you don't have to play by Dumbledore's rules." Hermione explained. Snape blinked at her then shook his head.

"No, I got myself into this mess. Dumbledore offered me a way out. This is how it has to be." He said firmly as he stomped his foot on the ground.

"You'll end up dead!" Hermione snapped. She was angry at Severus, he still had a choice in this, and he still didn't have to do this.

"Then I'd die doing something for the greater good," Severus retorted boldly. Hermione let out a loud snort.

"Sorry," She said sarcastically as she threw her hands up mockingly. "I wasn't aware that the greater good involved getting yourself slaughtered." Hermione said coldly and she saw Severus flinch.

"Hermione!" A voice called from behind and Hermione turned around and saw Remus jogging towards her. His expression was gentle until he noticed the Slytherin, then he scowled.

"Get away," Remus spat and Severus sneered at him, but turned around reluctantly. Hermione looked up at Remus and he threw an arm over her shoulder protectively. Hermione smiled up at him and he squeezed her tightly as Snape sulked away.

"What did he want," Remus growled and Hermione shook her head.

"You don't have to do this," Hermione began and Remus raised an eyebrow. "You and Sirius. You don't have to keep following me around, I can handle myself. "Hermione rolled her eyes as Remus played dumb.

"What—what are you talking about?" He cleared his throat and scratched his head.

"Look, I know you both are just trying to look out for me." Hermione said as she began walking back down towards the common room. "But I'm not afraid of Severus. Or any other Slytherin for that matter, I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself." Hermione finished firmly and Remus' mouth opened.

"Sorry," He sheepishly said as he stuffed his hands back into his robe pockets and followed Hermione down the corridor. "I asked Sirius to, I just wanted you to be safe. I know you can handle yourself, and I trust you completely. But I don't trust _them_." Remus finished as he extended his arm out words as if pointing towards the direction Severus sulked away in. Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Thank you, but no thanks." She said kindly and Remus' face paled.

"Hermio—"

"Remus, please. Trust me." Hermione told the boy and Remus slowly nodded his head. "Now let's go find Sirius, so we can call him off on stalking me." Hermione told Remus and he blushed.

"Actually…" He began but was cut off by the rapid sound of feet hitting concrete, and as they rounded a corner, Sirius was sprinting at them, full speed.

"HERMIONE!" He screamed as he saw the brunette. Sirius' eyes grew wide as he noticed Remus standing with her and he paled.

"Er, Remus!" Sirius greeted his friend as he nervously smiled. "I was just, er—"

"Save it Sirius, she found out we were following her," Remus said dryly and the color returned to Sirius' face.

"Oh," he said. Once he noticed the dirty look Hermione was giving him, he anxiously laughed. "Sorry about that Hermione, it was completely Moony's fault; he forced me to do it." Sirius explained to the two and Remus threw him a dirty look. Hermione watched as Remus shoved Sirius into the castle wall and Sirius responded with sticking out a leg and tripping Remus. The boys continued to do this all the way up until they got into the common room, and even after that Hermione couldn't stop laughing.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus wasn't sure how they had, but suddenly the group had gotten on the topic of Patronus'. There were nine of them gathered around the fire in the common room: Remus, James, Sirius, Peter, Hermione, Lily, Marlene, Alice and Frank. Peter was sprawled out on the floor, laying nearest to the fire and Marlene was sitting in-between an annoyed looking James and Lily. Alice and Frank were cuddling close on one of the love seats, while Hermione and Remus were cramped together on a fairly smaller chair. Sirius was in front of all of them, demonstrating something Remus was confused on, and somehow the topic had gotten on Patronus'.

"Can anyone produce a Patronus?" Frank asked the group and the mutual response was an embarrassed shrug and shake of the head. Remus watched as Hermione shifted uncomfortably around the chair and squeezed her shoulder tightly.

"I can produce one," Hermione confessed and the entire group turned towards her.

"No way," Marlene challenged and Hermione nodded her head slowly, with a smirk.

"How? That's very powerful magic." Alice gasped and Remus watched as Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, probably debating on a lie to tell the group. He made a mental note to ask her how she had actually learned to produce one when they were alone.

"A friend actually, an old friend. He was an amazing wizard, gifted completely. He taught me and a group of others to produce one." Hermione smiled at the thought, and then blinked out of it.

" _Was?_ What happened?" James asked from acrossed the room. Hermione gulped and closed her eyes tightly. Remus' stomach clenched, realizing how difficult it might be to answer that.

"He's er, gone now." Hermione shrugged and Remus watched as Marlene elbowed James in the gut.

"Sorry," Lily said for James. "It's just kind of weird that you had a life before you came to Hogwarts. It feels like you've been here for years." Lily smiled softly at Hermione and she nodded.

"It does feel like I've been here forever, doesn't it?" Hermione said with a small smirk and Sirius cleared his throat.

"Alright, I want to see this famous Patronus then!" He spoke loudly and the rest of the group cheered Hermione on. Remus gently pushed Hermione off of the chair and she stood before them, wand in hand and she took a deep breath.

"Get a move on!" Peter squeaked as Hermione took her time. She threw him a dirty look and shook her head. Closing her eyes tightly she breathed in, then out.

"Expecto Patronum!" She screamed and a bright light shot out of her wand. The group watched as the silvery light took shape of….of…of…

"It's Beautiful!" Marlene squealed as she looked at the Patronus. Alice and Lily mused as the silver animal dashed around. Remus squinted, but couldn't make anything out yet.

"Er, What is it?" Sirius wondered as the silvery animal bounded around the room quickly.

"A wolf of course," Lily's grin widened and Remus shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He watched as the wolf bounded around the room and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Of course it's a wolf." Lily said again, under her breath as she looked at it.

The wolf was large and elegant, gracefully floating in the air and he couldn't help but grin. The wolf wasn't Moony, but a different looking wolf; Hermione's wolf. Remus turned to his other friends and raised an eyebrow. James was looking at it with utter satisfaction and Peter's jaw was dropped. Sirius however, was smirking slightly and when he caught Remus' eye, he winked and Remus shook his head.

When Hermione lowered her wand, the wolf disappeared and they were left looking at a confused Hermione. Remus raised his eyebrow as Hermione tilted her head, and then looked down at her wand; her expression was a mix between sadness and confusion.

"Whats the matter?" Alice wondered, "Aren't you supposed to be happier after those things?" Hermione opened her mouth then closed it quickly. Noticing that the group still had its eyes on her she shrugged.

"It, er, was never a wolf before." She admitted quietly and the group broke out into murmurs.

"I didn't know they could change."

"What was it before?"

"What happened?"

Questions flooded from nearly everyone in the room and Remus could feel Hermione getting anxious.

"I'm not sure what happened," She lied to the group. "Maybe coming here has changed something?" The group nodded their heads an eventually the topic changed.

Remus couldn't help but glance constantly at Hermione, who seemed out of it the rest of the night. As the group winded down, only Remus, Hermione and Peter remained. Peter was nearly passed out on the floor and Remus saw his opportunity.

"Your Patronus?" He asked and Hermione nodded.

"It's because of you, I'm sure of it." She said quietly. Remus bit his lip, not quite knowing what to say. "It was a beautiful otter before. I really loved that otter." Hermione admitted and Remus paled.

 _She hated the wolf_

"But I love the wolf more," Hermione confessed and turned to look at Remus. She had a bit of sadness in her eyes and Remus couldn't help but bring her in for a comforting hug.

"Someday, will you teach me?" Remus wondered and Hermione raised a brow. "How to perform a Patronus, I mean. Will you teach me how to do it?" Remus clarified and Hermione nodded her head eagerly.

"Yes, yes that would be wonderful. I could teach everyone! Although, perhaps I should do it separately," she added as an afterthought, "Lily would never forgive me if I embarrassed her like that."

"Why would Lily be embarrassed? Is her Patronus a squid or something?" Remus smirked and Hermione shook her head and giggled.

"No, it's a doe." She whispered to Remus and his eyes widened.

"Why would Lily be—oh, a doe?" Remus breathed, and then turned towards Hermione, "I'm guessing James' is a stag then?" When Hermione nodded her head slowly, Remus couldn't stop himself from bursting out into laughter.

"They really are meant for each other, aren't they?" Remus laughed and Hermione eagerly agreed.

"Their soul mates, Remus. Of course they're meant for each other." Hermione retorted. She must have quickly realized what she just said, because she blushed profusely and looked away. Remus knew that she was thinking about them being mates. And if James and Lily were meant to be, who's to say that he and Hermione aren't? After the awkward moment of silence Remus cleared his throat.

"I should get Pete up to bed," Remus said after a moment. "Goodnight." Remus walked over to his sleeping friend and tugged on his foot. Nothing. Remus jabbed Peter in the gut. Nothing. Hermione must have noticed his troubles, because with a flick of her wand and a muttering of an incantation, Peter easily was lifted up into the air. Remus turned towards Hermione and gave her a thankful smile, which she returned with a nod. After she levitated Peter up into his bed, she turned toward Remus.

"Goodnight," She smiled. Remus looked down at her, wanting so much to just kiss her right then and there. The wolf wanted to claim her, to officially make her his. Remus fought the urge to grab her face in both of his hands and put his lips to hers. Knowing that he was staring at her a bit longer than deemed necessary, Remus looked down and blushed. He cursed himself for being so obvious and hoped Hermione hadn't noticed.

But Hermione had noticed, she tilted her head up, and caught Remus' eyes again. The werewolf couldn't help but smile at the smirk Hermione was wearing. He was surprised when her hand lightly caught his chin, but even more surprised when she brought it lower and connected her lips with his.

The kiss did not last very long, but long enough for a fire to start in Remus' stomach. He felt the tingling sensation spread throughout his body. He slowly lifted a hand up to caress Hermione's face, as she did his. His other hand wrapped around her waist and brought her closer to him, so they were touching. After a few moments, Hermione slowly pulled away, and pressed her forehead into his chest.

"Goodnight, Remus." She whispered and kissed him lightly on the cheek, before turning away and walking back down the stairs. Remus was left standing in the doorway, his hand touching his lips and grinning as large as he could.

~Until Next Time~

 **This chapter was a lot of fluff, but pretty fun to write. We've all been patiently waiting for some Remione, and I hope I haven't disappointed. Please leave a review on what you think.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Greetings Everyone! New chapter, please review!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the HP universe, I however do not.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione rushed up her own dormitory stares, two steps at a time and her hands holding each side of her head in utter surprise. She swung open the door an inhaled sharply when she saw Lily standing there, as if she was about to open it. Lily's hair was made up perfectly and her face had just the right amount of make up on.

"Oh," Lily gasped as she saw Hermione and stumbled back a bit. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the read and raised a questioning brow. Although it was dark, Hermione could still see Lily's face glow bright red.

"Lily, what are you doing up?" Hermione asked and Lily cleared her throat.

"Er, I was getting a midnight craving…I was going to go visit the kitchens…" Lily decided on and crossed her arms. Hermione nodded her head, not quite agreeing but she didn't want to ask any more questions. Why would she bother looking so nice if she was just going to see the house-elves?

"Well, enjoy the kitchens…" Hermione said a bit awkwardly and Lily smiled brightly as she stalked off. The whole conversation seemed a bit odd…and Lily hardly ever went to the kitchens by herself, especially at night. She seemed a bit preoccupied when she was talking to Hermione, as if something was on her mind.

Hermione didn't look too much into it however, because she was replaying the night's previous events in her head. Her and Remus _kissed_. Well she had kissed him, but she had thought he had wanted to kiss her as well. He _had_ kissed her back and now she had no idea where they were on the spectrum of their friendship. Hermione was deep in thought when she slowly made her way over to her bed and slammed down onto it.

The fact was, she _did_ like Remus. She liked him a lot, and she had thought he liked her as well. The whole situation was coming in bad timing however, because exams were coming were coming up very soon, and then it was the summer holiday. Hermione wasn't even sure what she was doing during the summer holiday. She had figured that she would stay at Hogwarts with Dumbledore and help out with the Horcruxes, but that wasn't sounding as appealing as it once had. Defeating Voldemort was still her number one priority, but now, she had wanted to do that more on her own terms. She wanted to do it without putting innocent people in harm's way; she wanted to do it without as many casualties. She knew however, that her best chance at defeating Voldemort was with Dumbledore's guidance. As much as the idea of going rogue appealed to her, she knew that she wasn't likely to be successful that way.

Soon, Hermione drifted off into a deep sleep. When she woke up it was sudden and Marlene was poking her shoulder.

"Hermione, you're going to miss Defense Against the Dark Arts!" Marlene hissed in her ear and Hermione jolted up quickly. She rubbed her eyes and looked at the blonde who was peering over her.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped as she jumped out of bed and quickly threw her robes on. She attempted to rake a brush in her hair, but finding it pointless she threw her hair up into a pony tail and chased after her roommate down the stairs. As she reached the bottom of the steps, she was face to face with Remus.

"Good morning," He smiled brightly at her and Hermione greeted him back. The two walked in silence towards their first lesson of the day. Hermione wasn't sure whether to bring up the events of last night or not. She had wanted to talk about their kiss, but she still wasn't sure what it meant, or what she had wanted it to mean. Remus must have been on her same line of thought, because at that moment he cleared his throat.

"So…" He began anxiously, "About last night." Hermione paled and turned towards Remus. As much as he sounded anxious, he looked better than ever. He was standing a bit straighter than usual and he had color in his skin that he usually lacked. His eyes were more vibrant than they normally were, and his hair seemed shinier. Hermione also noticed a Sirius-esque smirk on his face.

"The kiss," Hermione finished for him. Remus nodded his head slowly and closed his eyes. After a moment, he squinted one eye open at Hermione and raised a brow. Hermione sighed loudly and threw her arms up in defeat. "I meant it, and I like you, and I wanted to kiss you." She said openly and Remus looked almost shocked at her straightforwardness.

"Hermione—"

"Mooney! We need to talk, pronto!" Sirius' voice rang loud and Peter quickly stumbled up behind him. "Oh, er hello Hermione." Sirius acknowledged her quickly then his eyes darted towards Remus', who reluctantly nodded. Hermione gasped, annoyed by the intrusion of the two other boys. _She_ was in the middle of a conversation, Remus was about to tell Hermione something fairly important. _Ugh_.

"See you in class," Remus smiled a bit dimly as he followed the other two boys in the opposite direction. Hermione exhaled and couldn't help but frown slightly. She turned to continue to the class, when a voice from behind her startled her.

"Ms. Granger!" A man's voice made Hermione stop in her tracks. She turned around and was greeted with Professor Bode's cheerful face.

"Hello, Professor." Hermione nodded her head and the Professor brimmed.

"Ms. Granger, is it true that you can produce a Patronus?" He asked wondrously and Hermione immediately felt uncomfortable. She smiled briefly and nodded a bit.

"Uh, yes." Hermione admitted, she cursed her friends, wondering who had blabbed.

"Perhaps you could demonstrate it in front of the class, I would do my own, but I think if you did it, the students would be more excited to learn, as one of the peers is already able too." Professor Bode offered. Hermione was a bit bewildered. Demonstrating a very complicated piece of dark magic in front of a large group of Slytherins in which the majority of had a great hatred towards her did not seem very appealing. She shook her head modestly.

"Oh, I don't think so." She began awkwardly, and Professor Bodes' smile faltered. "You'd be much better at explaining it and demonstrating than me." She declined admirably.

"Ah, but Ms. Granger, I must insist." Professor Bode protested as they entered his class. Hermione looked around the room, and noted that they were the first ones there. "But I'm curious, as to how did you learn to produce one? They haven't taught you here, have they?" He asked and Hermione looked down to her feet. Something didn't feel quite right about this conversation, and Hermione desperately wished for more students to come into the classroom.

"No, I wasn't taught at Hogwarts," Hermione offered quickly. "Before I attended Hogwarts this year, a friend of mine taught me." Hermione explained vaguely. She didn't like the fact the he was asking questions; she didn't want him to know anything about her.

"A friend," Professor Bode took this in stride and bit his bottom lip. "And what's the name of this, _friend?_ " Hermione grew angry at this statement. Why was he prying her?

"Doesn't matter, he's gone." Hermione said a bit coldly as students began filing in. Professor Bode tilted his head at her then smiled tightly.

"Ms. Granger, you said before you attended Hogwarts, where did you attend before?" He asked with a raised brow. Hermione smiled briefly and looked down. _Why was he taking such and interest?_

"My mother taught me at home, she passed away and I decided to attend Hogwarts." Hermione said shortly and Professor Bode tilted his head at the girl.

"Really, your mother was a witch? I swore I thought you were a muggle born," He noted and Hermione visibly tensed up.

"Half-bood," She breathed and Professor Bode nodded slowly and sighed.

"Well, I'm sure the students will be thrilled when you demonstrate you Patronus," He smiled and Hermione swiftly turned and made for a seat in the way back. What did he want with her? Gryffindor's and Slytherins soon filed into the room, and suddenly it was filled. Remus walked in with both Peter and Sirius flanking him. Surprisingly, Remus took a seat next to Hermione; usually he sat by Peter, but Hermione was glad with the sudden change in seating arrangements. Just as she was about to tell Remus about her odd conversation with Professor Bode, the man in question cleared his throat.

"Today class, we will be talking about the Patronus Charm," He announced delightedly. Many of the Gryffindors' gave Hermione a sly look, and the Slytherins perked up a bit as the Professor spoke.

"Can you produce one?" A buck toothed Slytherin boy asked their professor. He nodded simply and licked his lips.

"A Patronus Charm, is a very difficult ancient and mysterious charm. The purpose of this charm is to protect one from Dementors, and Lethifolds. It is the only form of protection from these creatures." He looked over the class, who was staring back at him with wide, interested eyes. "Would anyone like to tell me what two types of Patronus' there are?" Professor Bode asked the class. Numerous hands shot up into the air quickly, Lily's being the first. Completely ignoring the red head's hand he looked down upon Remus, whose eyes kept wandering questioningly towards Hermione.

"Remus, please tell the class." Professor Bode told the werewolf. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the teacher.

"Er, an Incorporeal Patronus, and a Corporeal Patronus." Remus told him and Professor Bode nodded eagerly for Remus to continue. "An Incorporeal Patronus does not take form of a guardian; it's just shown as a bright silvery light. A Corporeal Patronus take the form of a guardian, usually being some type of animal." Remus finished quickly and Professor Bode nodded.

"Wonderful," He cleared his throat, and directed his attention towards Hermione, who blushed furiously. "And it seems, in this class, we have a student who knows exactly how to perform one." He finished and Hermione squirmed in her seat, she _hated_ him. "Ms. Granger, would you care to perform a Corporeal Patronus for the class?" He asked. Many of the Gryffindors blindly cheered her on, not knowing her protests for it before. She heard a few rude hisses coming from the Slytherin side, but chose to ignore them.

"Can you really do it?" A small blonde Slytherin girl wondered. Hermione reluctantly nodded her head, and the Slytherin stared at her with awe.

"Now class, the incantation for the Patronus Charm, is _Expecto Patronum_. To perform it, you have to be thinking of a happy memory, your happiest memory in fact." Professor Bode told the class. Hermione walked up to the front of the room reluctantly. She wanted to hex Professor Bode at the moment, but instead, she obediently stood in front of the class and sighed. "Hermione for example, would you care to tell us the memory you've chosen?" Professor Bode asked and Hermione's eyes narrowed. _Was he being serious?_

Hermione cleared her throat and stood a bit straighter, "Actually I've found Professor, that if we keep our memories private, they're stronger." She said through clenched teeth. Professor Bode stared at her for a moment then nodded his head.

"Carry on then, Ms. Granger." Professor Bode said with an insincere smile. Hermione stared out at all the other students. It seemed that many of the Gryffindor's had caught on now. Sirius' hands were clenched into fists and Peter was slowly shaking his head. Lily looked as angry as Hermione felt and Remus looked like he wasn't breathing. Hermione closed her eyes and thought. The memory she thought of tend to change, considerably a lot more now that she was in a completely different time.

Back in her own time, she would think of the moment she became friends with Ron and Harry. She thought of all of their adventures at Hogwarts and all of the Christmas' she spent with the Weasley's. Her happy thoughts often involved her and Ron and Harry. But recently…they've been involving her new friends. She often thought of late night talks with Marlene and Alice; or studying in the library with Lily. She thought of Peter's signature bear hug and James teaching Hermione how to catch and release a snitch effortlessly. Hermione thought of her first kiss with Sirius, and their entire relationship in general.

Hermione thought of Remus. She thought of Remus smiling down at her. Hermione thought of the way he smirks and rolls his eyes when Sirius says something stupid. She thought of the countless amount of hugs they shared and now, even one particular kiss they had shared. Hermione thought of all of them, and she lifted her wand high up into the air, and almost lazily flicked her wand into the air and firmly shouted.

" _Expecto Patronum_!" Hermione watched as the silver wolf bounded around the classroom. It moved swiftly in the air and Hermione heard the gasps of awe from the other students. The horrible mood that once plagued her was instantly gone and she smiled deeply at the wolf in front of her. Marlene giggled as the wolf bounced around towards her and playfully shook its tail. Hermione giggled and watched as the wolf made its way around the room before eventually stopping in front of her. Hermione was about to send it away, when a large black line of smoke shot across the room at the wolf, engulfing it, then causing the wolf to slowly fade away. Hermione frowned as her wolf disappeared and looked up to see a tight smiling Professor Bode staring back at her.

"Perfect," He murmured and Hermione felt Goosebumps travel down her body. There was an eerie coldness that spread around her, and she was thankful that the lesson was almost over. As she sat down, Professor Bode continued on with the lesson, explaining the multiple uses of a Patronus and different types. Hermione found it odd that he did not produce one in front of the class, but didn't say anything. Once class ended, Hermione stood up quickly and made her way towards the door, before getting tapped on the shoulder. Hermione turned around slowly and sighed. She made his way toward his desk and tilted her head.

"Professor," She said shortly. He narrowed his eyes up at her for a moment then shook his head.

"Your Patronus is a wolf," He commented. Hermione nodded slightly and uncomfortably crossed her arms. "A very beautiful wolf, may I add." Hermione bit her bottom lip and watched as her friends filed out of the room. She saw Remus pause by the door and give her a pleading look, before stepping out.

"Thanks." She said quickly and Professor Bode played with the wand in his hand and tilted his head.

"However, I wouldn't have taken yours to be such a creature however." He noted and Hermione shrugged.

"What would have you taken it as?" Hermione asked dryly, causing Professor Bode to chuckle.

"Hmm…Perhaps an otter? Seems quite fitting, don't you think Ms. Granger." He said with a dangerous smirk that made Hermione nauseas. Hermione inhaled deeply and muttered a goodbye before leaving the classroom. Once she was out of the door, she was pleased to find Remus waiting for her. He noticed the spooked expression on her face and put an arm around her.

"Whats the matter?" He asked and Hermione shuttered.

"He knows something Remus; he knows about me, I can feel it." Hermione hissed and Remus raised a brow.

"How would he know?" Remus asked. "What did he say to you?" he asked a bit more urgently. Hermione shook her hand.

"He mentioned my old Patronus, my otter." Hermione explained quickly. "How would he have known that? I've only just told you, Remus." Remus still reluctantly nodded.

"Do you think he's spying on you then?" Remus questioned in a bewildered voice. Hermione was annoyed that he found such an assumption odd.

"I don't know!" Hermione hissed, "But do you know who told him about the Patronus, that's why he made me perform it in class. Someone told him I could do it I think," Hermione explained quickly. Remus shrugged and scratched his head.

"I don't know Hermione…" Remus began, obviously not convinced. "I don't think anyone would have told Professor Bode, why would they?" Remus asked and Hermione huffed.

"I—I don't know, I just get a bad feeling from him all of a sudden. I don't like it," Hermione admitted and Remus nodded his head. Professor Bode has been acting stranger lately. His normally neat attire was messier, and he was paler than usual, his eyes bloodshot and wild.

"His first name is Lee, correct?" Remus asked and Hermione nodded. "I'll go do some research in the library about him. Maybe he was in a few past manuscripts and yearbooks. And it wouldn't take too long, since he's fairly young." Remus confessed and Hermione bit her lip. She didn't want to stray from studying for exams, but she needed to figure out was up with the suspicious man.

"Thank you," Hermione tipped her head into his chest. "About that kiss…" She began, but before she could finish her thoughts, Remus took her chin in his hand and met her lips with his.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hmm…I've never liked that Professor Bode…I wonder whats up with him?**


	29. Chapter 29

**Greetings Everyone! Another chapter, hope you enjoy it! Please review and tell me what you think.**

 **Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own Harry Potter, Jk Rowling does.**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

If Remus was being completely honest, he didn't like Professor Bode, now Remus was far from hating the man, but he did not like him. He thought he was a bit pushy, and maybe a bit too full of himself, but he still wasn't quite sure why Hermione had taken to such a sudden distaste of their professor. Remus hated to admit it, but when Hermione voiced her concerns about their Defense against the Dark Arts professor, he had been reluctant to believe it. Remus was sure that the man had made Hermione uncomfortable, and didn't doubt that he didn't listen to her pleas to not perform the Patronus, but he didn't think that that had meant anything.

"I just don't get a good feeling from him." Hermione attempted to explain. Her voice was full of worry and her eyes looked exhausted. She had been constantly expressing her dislike of him throughout the next few days. Remus could nearly feel her anxiety, and he wanted nothing more than to help.

"Have you felt this way the whole year? Has it just started now?" Remus wondered. Hermione's brows furrowed.

"He was fine in the beginning of the year. But something's changed, I swear it." Hermione told the young werewolf. Remus nodded taking it in.

"I'm headed to the library this afternoon to research him." Remus told Hermione, hoping that this might calm her nerves. It seemed to work because Hermione offered him a weak smile then drifted off to find Lily.

After spending numerous hours finding absolutely nothing about the man in the library, Remus decided to call it a night and head back to the common room. Once he was there, he sat down onto his bed and let out a loud, audible sigh.

"And what seems to be the cause of that loud, audible sigh?" James asked from his bed as he flipped through a book. He had now gotten Sirius and Peter's attention, and all eyes were on him. Remus shrugged.

"Me and Hermione kissed," He offered up casually and James' jaw dropped, Peter let out a surprised squeak and Sirius narrowed his eyes, as if evaluating the situation.

"Really?" Sirius said slowly and Remus nodded.

"Twice, actually." Remus admitted, "The first time she kissed me, then I kissed her yesterday." Remus watched the boys intently for their opinion. Sirius was still giving him a sly look, James' jaw was dropped and Peter's eyes were wide.

"And why am I just now finding out about this?" James huffed as he crossed his arms. Remus shrugged. In truth, there wasn't a specific reason that he hadn't told his friends; he just figured they wouldn't care to know.

"I didn't think you lot would be interested," Remus shrugged and blushed a bit as Sirius let out a loud snort.

"Moony, she's your mate. Any type of development on your relationship with her is interesting to us." Sirius said as if this information was obvious. Remus nodded his head slowly, trying to process the information. Remus looked over at his three friends, who were looking at him quite eagerly; as he shrugged Peter rolled his eyes.

"Well go on and tell us what happened after the kiss!" Peter hissed eagerly and Remus blinked.

"Nothing. We kissed, then she said she liked me, and then we went to bed." Remus admitted and Sirius had a large grin.

"Went to bed….Together?" He cocked and eyebrow and Remus leaned over and launched a pillow at Sirius' head.

"Not together!" Remus hissed as the pillow hit Sirius comically on the side of the head. Sirius kept a dry expression the entire time and sighed loudly. Remus looked at the other boys who followed Sirius' lead.

"That's it?" James asked a bit unpleased. Remus nodded and then shrugged.

"I want to make things official, I want her to be my girlfriend, but I don't know how, I want to make it special, something she'd remember." Remus said firmly and the other boys nodded.

"Maybe I could take her to the Astronomy tower at night, look at the stars, that'd be romantic right?" Remus asked as his brow was furrowed with concentration. Peter and James both nodded in agreement but Sirius clucked his tongue and cringed.

"Er, Moony. Perhaps not….there." He said a bit urgently. Remus raised an eyebrow at his friend then his face went red.

"Padfoot, I'll kill you." He warned. Although the words were harsh and as was the tone, Remus was joking. Peter burst into giggles and James couldn't help but chuckle as well.

"And while we're on that note," Sirius said a bit anxiously. "I would avoid the broom closet on the second floor, the spare classroom on the fourth, and the girl's bathroom on the sixth floor." Sirius said a bit sheepishly and Remus paled.

"Padfoot…" He groaned and covered his head with a pillow. "Nothing, er, you didn't—"

"No, it was only that one time in the astronomy tower," Sirius explained quickly, "however, we did _other_ things…" Sirius trailed off and grinned slightly, causing Remus to pale even more.

"Padfoot, shut up or I promise I will vomit." Remus demanded and the raven haired wizard let out a barking laugh.

"Where _can_ I take her though? What do you think she'll like? I want it to be romantic." Remus rambled on and the other boys rolled their eyes.

"Remus, you're her bloody mate. You know her better than anyone here; you should know where to take her." James reminded him and Remus nodded his head.

"Room of Requirement!" Peter squealed and the three other boys turned around quickly.

"Room of what?" Sirius baffled. James rolled his eyes at Peter and sighed.

"The Room of Requirement, Hermione actually showed it to us. It turns into whatever you need. It'd be a perfect place actually." James admitted and Remus nodded his head eagerly.

"Why haven't I heard of it before?" Sirius pouted and James shrugged.

"Hermione told us, it's a bloody wonder on how she knew." James said after a moment. "All these years we've been here, and we hadn't even thought of a place like that to exist. And she's here for not even a full year and she just happened to wander up onto it. The girl oozes luck, Moony." Sirius and Remus both shared a sidelined glance with one another and the boy cringed. Hermione obviously knew of the room in her own time, which she obviously still hadn't told James and Peter about.

"Well, where is it?" Remus wondered impatiently and Peter turned towards James, who squinted his eyes in concentration.

"Seventh Floor, right?" Peter squeaked and James nodded his head. "You have to have need for it, and it'll appear." Peter explained and Remus nodded his head.

"What shall I turn it into?" Remus asked and the three other boys looked at one another sheepishly.

"Er, Moony, that one is for you to decide." James shrugged and Remus rolled his eyes.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

At the moment, Hermione Granger was being pulled blindly down a corridor by none other than Remus Lupin. He had asked her to keep her eyes closed and Hermione was obeying, although a bit reluctantly. After tripping and stumbling over numerous stair steps, Hermione demanded to be allowed to open her eyes.

"Er, not yet Hermione," Remus cringed. "But soon." He promised just as Hermione stumbled to her knees once more. She let out a loud groan and shook her head.

"Remus if I can't open my eyes right now, then I'm this close to falling down all of these stairs and never being able to open my eyes again!" She hissed as she held two fingers closely together. She could hear Remus shift and then sigh.

"Okay fine." Remus said and just as Hermione was about to open her eyes, she felt arms around her waist, and she was hoisted up into the air. "Keep them shut!"

"Remus!" Hermione hissed. "Let. Me. Down." She held on tightly to him, her eyes still closed tight and she wasn't breathing. She had done the calculations in her head, and it seemed to be that they were nearing the top floor of Hogwarts, meaning that there was quite a long drop down to the bottom. If there was one thing Hermione Granger did not like, it was heights.

"It's okay, I got this." She heard Remus whisper to her as he carried her up the stairs. Hermione anxiously squirmed in his arms. They were up past curfew, and it was quite possible that Filch was lurking around any corner. Remus was a perfect, but that didn't stop Filch from handing out detentions.

"Open!" Remus told her excitedly and Hermione opened up one eye, then the other. She looked around the corridor and found one dingy door in front of her. Obviously it was the target of Remus' affections.

"Ah," She said suddenly as she inspected the door. "The Come and Go room," Hermione smiled as she was remembered of Dumbledore's Army.

Remus swung open the door, and with a wide grin he yelled, "Ta-da!" Hermione nearly doubled over into laughter as she peered inside the small room. It appeared to be a broom closet. Nothing more, nothing less. She covered her giggling mouth and raised a brow at Remus who was clearly confused.

"This is the Room of Requirement, correct?" He asked a timidly as he peered into the room himself. Hermione nodded her head. "Well this isn't what I had in mind," He admitted with a blush and Hermione giggled. She was about to tell Remus a fact about the room, when she heard a voice from around the corner.

"Students out of bed!" Filch's voice hissed down the corridor. Hermione's eyes went wide and she turned towards Remus, shoving the rest of his body into the small closet and quietly shutting the door.

There wasn't nearly enough space in the broom closet. Hermione looked around and saw the piles of coats and broom in a corner, and a single light bulb in the middle. She reached her hand up, and slowly twisted it, so the room was lit with a dim yellow light. Hermione watched as Remus sat down on one side, barely leaving enough room for Hermione on the other. Once the two were comfortably sitting, Remus gasped.

"Spider!" He hissed as he pointed at a small black spider that was crawling towards him. He raised a shoe to kill it when Hermione scowled.

"Its, just a spider Ronald, honestly!" She hissed as she carefully picked the spider up and placed it safely in the corner. She glanced back up at Remus, who was pale. "What?" Hermione raised a brow, a bit confused by the sudden change in demeanor.

"Ronald." Remus spoke softly as he heard Filch's voice near the room.

"Ronald? Remus what are you talking about?" Hermione narrowed her eyes, and then the realization dawned on her. "Oh…Remus." She gasped and covered her face with her hands. "I'm so sorry. Ron was terrified of spiders as well. I'm sorry, my brain must of shut off momentarily. I'm an idiot…" Hermione apologized repeatedly. How does one apologize for calling your current love interest the name of your old love interest that wasn't even born in this time yet?

"It's understandable," Remus shrugged as he reached a hand over and grabbed Hermione's in it tightly. "And I'm not afraid of spiders. They're just nasty creatures." Remus firmly nodded his head and Hermione giggled.

"Ron's boggart was a spider. His biggest fear. Yet in our second year, he helped Harry face a massive one. It was very Gryffindor of him. Very noble." Hermione said more to herself as she smiled slightly. She was brought out of her thoughts as Remus cleared his throat and she looked at him suddenly.

"I'm sorry, you're probably tired of hearing about my old friends, I'm probably boring you sick." Hermione said quickly and Remus urgently shook his head.

"Hermione no, never." He promised her and Hermione slowly nodded her head.

After a moment Remus spoke. "They were you're family. I'd never expect someone to ask me to stop talking of James and Sirius. If they were important to you, they're important to me." Remus said quietly and Hermione couldn't help the sad smile that clouded her face.

"Remus…I.." Hermione began, but couldn't finish, she didn't know quite what to say. She cleared her throat, and wiped away a single tear quickly and looked around the old broom closet. "Remus, why did you bring me here?" she wondered. His eyes opened in shock, then he shrugged.

"We're on the seventh floor, correct?" He asked. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Remus, I was blindfolded nearly the entire time. But considering this is the Room of Requirement—while I don't understand why you needed a broom closet—this appears to be the seventh floor." Hermione finished with a small huff and Remus smirked.

"Fantastic." He said after a moment and Hermione raised a brow.

"Why?"

"A certain someone warned me to avoid the broom closet on the second floor, the spare classroom on the fourth, and what was the last one….Oh yes! I remember, the girl's bathroom on the sixth floor!" Remus said a bit smugly and Hermione's eyes widened.

"Oh no!" Her face contorted with a horrified realization of Remus' words. He laughed as her face flushed and she buried her head into her hands.

"I'm kidding," He added as he slowly dragged one of her hands away from her face, then the other. "Actually…The reason I wanted to bring you here—er not here, exactly, I was expecting something a bit nicer but, oh well—is that I wanted to ask you something." Remus paused and Hermione's heart raced. She bit her bottom lip in anticipation and she raised an eyebrow in question. Remus looked at her nervously.

"Wouldyouliketoofficiallybemygirlfriend?" Remus sputtered out and Hermione blinked.

"I didn't quite catch that Remus," Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. Remus' face was flushing bright red and he looked almost in pain.

"Er..Okay…I was wondering...if you'd like to…bemygirlfriend?" Remus looked as if someone had just slapped him and began massaging his temple with his left hand. Hermione tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes wide and her jaw dropped.

"Yes," Hermione blinked after a moment.

"Yes?!" Remus eyes bulged out of his head and his hand fell to his side. "Yes as in yes you'd like to be my girlfriend?" He raised a brow and Hermione eagerly nodded her head. When his eyes still remained narrowed in confusion Hermione giggled loudly.

"Remus, this shouldn't be such a surprise, I mean honestly we've kissed twice now. You don't just go around snogging people you don't like." Hermione said, then hastily added, "Or at least, I don't." Remus smiled at that and Hermione crawled a bit closer to him.

The light bulb in the room dimmed and flickered and Hermione looked up at and smiled. "What a rubbish broom closet," She said mockingly as she planted a firm kiss on Remus' lips. Remus shifted over to make room for her in front of him, and placed his hand gently on her face.

"Rubbish indeed," He agreed and leaned in for another kiss.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thank you all so much for reading, you are all wonderful!**


	30. Chapter 30

**Greetings Everyone! So here is another chapter. Hope you all enjoy it!**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

The next few days for Hermione went by in a blur. Hermione had been living in quite a daze since her and Remus began officially dating. She still found it odd, going back in time nearly twenty years and dating her old professor, but she cared about Remus far too much for it to really bother her. She had wanted to keep her relationship private at first, and that was what she had planned to do—that is, until she reached her dormitory later that night.

Hermione swung open the door and saw that to her relief her roommates weren't asleep yet. She must of had an odd expression on her face because Alice immediately narrowed her eyes.

"Er, Hermione, are you alright?" asked Alice. Hermione shrugged, meaning to say that she just had a good day, but before she could she began to blurt out words.

"Remus asked me to be his girlfriend!" Hermione nearly yelled at her three friends. Marlene's eyes were wide, probably just startled from Hermione's yelling. Marlene's mouth fell open, and then she quickly closed it. Lily, who was laying on her own bed squealed with delight and pressed her hands onto her heart and looked at Hermione with utter awe. Alice however, let out a loud groan and dug her hand into her pocket. Hermione tilted her head in surprise as Alice brought out five galleons and reluctantly handed them over to Marlene, who was smirking.

"Quit betting on me, would you!" She snapped at the girls who good naturedly shrugged. Marlene clapped her hands in victory then turned her attention to Hermione.

"We knew it would happen soon, you two are practically married already." She grinned as Hermione blushed a bright crimson. Hermione made her way over to her bed and shrugged.

"Oh, I didn't think it was that obvious we liked each other." Hermione wondered aloud as she noticed than none of the girls were particularly surprised. At this statement, Alice turned to Marlene and both girls burst out into giggles.

"Hermione!" Alice said through laughs. "It was about as obvious!" She took another laughing break. "As James' love for Lily!" Alice finished as she slapped a hand down onto her knee. Marlene giggled loudly and clenched her stomach as Lily blushed.

"And as obvious as Lily's denial of being in love with James!" Marlene giggled. This sent Hermione into laughter as well. Lily crossed her arms as she turned bright red and shook her head.

"Hush!" Lily hissed as she glared at the three other girls. The girls quieted down immediately, and then with one shared glance all four of them this time were sent into hysterics. Once they were silent, Lily sighed loudly.

"I'm really happy for you Hermione, I think you and Remus will be a lovely couple," Lily smiled at Hermione who nodded her head and bit her lip. Alice and Marlene both nodded their heads eagerly.

"Can't say I'm surprised…" Alice noted after a moment. "But I almost thought something was still there with Sirius." She finished and Hermione's eyes went wide.

"Oh," Hermione blinked. "No, no. We both decided we're much better as friends." Hermione stated firmly and Alice shrugged. "Why…why did you think that anyways?" Hermione couldn't stop herself from asking.

"He just still kind of looks at you like a lost puppy, that's all." Alice shrugged and Hermione's brows furrowed. Sirius _couldn't_ still like her, they were like siblings!

"He looks at a lot of people that way." Hermione retorted and Marlene giggled.

" Only you and the Marauders," She reminded Hermione who blushed.

"Just friends." Hermione repeated and the other girls laughed.

The next few days passed quickly and Hermione hardly stopped smiling. Her mood had been drastically lifted, and the only thing to dampen it was that she still hadn't produced a functioning Wolfsbane potion for Remus, and summer holidays were right around the corner. She was sitting by the fire place one night, studying for exams, when Remus nervously cleared his throat.

"Er, Hermione," He began timidly and Hermione raised a brow without looking up from her book. Remus took this as permission to continue and he cleared his throat again. "Would you like to stay over at my house during Summer Break?" He asked suddenly and Hermione's book fell to the ground in shock. She gave him an apologetic smile as she quickly picked up book and looked towards Remus.

"Really?" She wondered and Remus rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm lying." He sarcastically responded and then it was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes.

"I just didn't know you told your parents about us—er, our relationship." Hermione implied. Remus nodded his head and pursed his lips.

"I've just told them we were dating, nothing about the mate thing. But perhaps, they should know. When they wrote back…" He faded away looking a bit hurt, "When they wrote back, they were worried I might hurt you." He admitted quietly and Hermione inhaled sharply.

"You'd never hurt me!" Hermione gasped. He physically _couldn't_ hurt her, but she knew that even if he could, he wouldn't dream of it. "That's…That's…mental!" Hermione finished shaking her head. "They couldn't honestly believe that?" Hermione wondered and Remus shrugged.

"My parents love me; they care about me a lot. But they know what I'm capable of; they've seen me at my absolute worse. They just don't want me to hurt anyone." Remus explained quickly as he stared down at his hands, obviously slightly ashamed. Hermione reached her hand out and grasped his in hers and leaned into him. "They're good people," he added hastily, "They're wonderful people actually, they've just had a lot to deal with since I was bitten." Remus softly said and Hermione squeezed his hand. This was the first time he had mentioned himself getting bit in front of her, and Hermione didn't want to pry him on that subject so she quietly cleared her throat.

"You want me to meet your parents?" Hermione grinned as she placed a kiss up on his nose. Remus smirked and nodded his head. "What are they like, what are their names?" asked Hermione eagerly.

"Lyall and Hope, and they're madly in love." Remus smiled down at Hermione, who couldn't help but grin. "My mother's a muggle, and my father's a wizard."

"That sounds wonderful," Hermione smiled and Remus nodded.

"They'll absolutely love you, I know they will." Remus said firmly and Hermione couldn't help but giggle.

"And when would you want me to visit?" She raised a brow and Remus blinked.

"I figured you'd just come home with me on the train and then once the school year starts again we could ride the train back." Remus shrugged and Hermione laughed.

"All summer?" She smirked.

"Yes." Remus blinked and Hermione's eyes went wide as she stared at him. _He wasn't kidding!_ Hermione attempted to sputter out an answer as she tilted her head at Remus.

"You can't be serious?" Hermione gasped and Remus' eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" He frowned and Hermione let out a breathy laugh.

"Remus, I can't possibly stay with you all summer. I have duties here; at Hogwarts with Dumbledore! Not that I don't want too…I'd love too. But I couldn't. Not all summer." Hermione attempted to explain kindly, but the idea was so outrageous that it was hard to keep her emotions in check. "You'd get annoyed of me anyways; you'd probably hate me by the end of summer."

"I could never hate you," He retorted quietly, and Hermione felt his mood shift. Hermione quickly wrapped her arms around Remus and hugged him tightly.

"Perhaps not the whole summer, but I _will_ see you often. I promise." Hermione said into his neck and Remus chuckled.

"Well, I'd think we'd _have_ to see each other often, or else we'd go insane." He said matter-of-factly. Hermione raised an eyebrow and Remus elaborated.

"The whole mate thing. Don't you feel it, it's much better when we're together. That week when you didn't talk to me, it hurt. Physically and emotionally. At first I thought it was just because I didn't want you to be mad at me and because I missed you. But it was more than that. It's because we're mates. I don't think going long without one another would be beneficial for either of our health." Remus admitted and Hermione nodded her head, slowly processing Remus' words.

"Remus….I'd love to visit you." Hermione decided on and Remus perked up.

"Wonderful—"

"But for now," Hermione cut him off and raised her book into the air. "Let's study, exams are coming up." She told him and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Always a perfectionist, Hermione." Remus mused and Hermione went frigid. Remus had said those exact words to her back when she was in her own time, the future. Remus felt her go cold and raised an eyebrow. "Did I say something wrong?" He backtracked and Hermione shook her head, fighting the urge to cry.

She was Hermione Granger. She was a Gryffindor. She was brave.

"No, I'm fine." Hermione smiled as she concentrated her attention back to Remus. "Let's go get lunch, I'm starved."

 _ **Remus' POV**_

The days came and went and soon, exams were over. Exams were harder than Remus had ever thought they would be. He struggled through most of them, but towards the end, he thought he had done quite well. They would be leaving Hogwarts in the morning, and he would be leaving Hermione.

Not for long, that is. They had planned for her to come visit him two weeks in the summer. She would stay for a week, and Remus was ecstatic. But he knew that the two weeks they were away would be quite brutal on his health. Luckily however, a full moon wasn't for another four weeks, so the beast would be at bay for most of the time.

Remus slowly packed away his things, sadly reminiscing over the year with his three friends. Sirius was going home with James, and that left Remus tingling with a bit of jealously. He knew that Sirius' home life was atrocious, but he couldn't help but wish he could be with his friends all summeras well. He planned to go visit them, though, the week Hermione was staying. They would both floo over to the Potter manner and spend the day with the other three Marauders. Leaving Hermione alone at the castle, no matter for how long, didn't sit right with him. Even over Christmas break, he had urged Hermione to stay with James and Sirius, just so she didn't have to be alone.

"I'm going to miss you lot," James announced while Sirius snickered, Peter whimpered, and Remus rolled his eyes.

"We'll be visiting in two weeks," Remus reminded James, who knowingly nodded his head.

"Two weeks too long." James firmly stated and the other boys agreed. They were best friends. They were brothers. Remus went to put a pair of socks in his trunk, when a spider popped out from in between them and quickly began to roam around.

"Bloody hell! This castle has a spider problem!" Remus hissed as he took the sock and repeatedly hit down in the spot where the spider was. The spider easily dodged Remus' advances and crawled away into safety. Remus scowled as he lazily threw his socks into his trunk and sighed.

"Whats Hermione doing over summer holiday?" James raised a brow and Remus cleared his throat.

"Well…Since she er—doesn't have a family, I think she's staying at the Three Broomsticks and will be working their over the summer." Remus quickly told the lie that Hermione and Dumbledore had came up with. Nearly no students came into the Three Broomsticks over summer holiday, so it was a perfect alibi. "Then, like I told you earlier, she's coming home with me for a week, and we'll floo to your house." Remus said obviously, glancing around the room to see if anyone noticed the lie. All the boys nodded their heads and dropped the subject.

"How do you think you did on your exams?" Peter asked no one in particular.

"Eh, Pete. School is nearly out; I don't even want to think of exams." Sirius cringed as he held up a hand to Peter and the group laughed.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione technically didn't have to pack for summer holiday, seeing as she was staying at Hogwarts, but none of the other girls knew this, so much to her dislike she packed as well. She would miss her three roommates. She would miss Lily's sharp mind and charming personality. She would miss Alice's snarky side comments about Slytherins and her blunt personality. She would miss watching Marlene play quidditch and helping her with her Potions. She was going to miss these three girls who against the odds, she became quite good friends with.

"So you'll be staying in Hogsmeade then?" Lily raised a brow as she packed away her robes. Hermione nodded her head and sighed.

"Yes. I don't really have a home now, so Dumbledore had offered to talk to Madam Rosemerta for me. She's offered me a place to stay and work there." Hermione awkwardly lied. It had been an easy enough story to come up with, one in which she didn't have to ride the train, and where her friends probably couldn't visit her, much to Hermione's dislike.

"Hermione! You're welcome to come visit me anytime! I'll write you my floo address and you can stay anytime you'd like!" Alice quickly said as she walked over and hugged Hermione.

"I'd love that." Hermione admitted as she squeezed the girl back. Marlene then bounded towards them and hugged Hermione's back, and soon Lily was there as well hugging tightly.

"It might be a bit harder visiting me, my parents are muggles." Lily apologized and Hermione shook her head.

"I'll write to you Lily, I promise." Hermione told the red head who grinned. The girls all lay down on Hermione's bed, enjoying the last few hours they had together.

"Just think about it," Marlene began. "Next year is our last year at Hogwarts. Then we're done. I've got no idea what I'm going to do with my life." Marlene confessed and the other girls agreed.

"I don't think anyone does," Hermione admitted quietly. Usually, she would have been one to plan out her future accordingly, but at the moment, she didn't even know if she'd have a future. Voldemort was coming into power, and Hermione had been kept out of the loop as far as Horcruxes went. She didn't even know if she would make it out of this war alive.

As if reading her mind, Alice sighed. "Stay safe, all of you. You-Know-Who is getting more and more followers. Don't be wreck less." Alice told the girls who all murmured in agreement.

"And Hermione, I swear, if I hear that you've dueled with Death Eaters one more time, I'll kick your arse myself." Alice grinned and Hermione rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was duel with Death Eaters.

"Don't worry about that Alice, it won't be a problem." Hermione told the girls and they laughed.

The girls lazily filed the rest of their things into their trunks and made their way down the steps. And down to the Great Hall. Hermione saw Remus waving to her and she quickly ran up to him, throwing her arms around him.

"I'll miss you." He told her and Hermione nuzzled her head deeper into his chest.

"That's to be expected," She smirked and Remus rolled his eyes. "I'll write to you though, promise you'll write back." She demanded and Remus laughed and nodded his head.

"I promise I'll write back." Remus chuckled and Hermione squeezed him tighter. She was going to miss him, that's for sure. "And you'll be visiting me in two weeks, correct?" Remus double checked and Hermione eagerly nodded.

"Of course," She briskly said and Remus nodded then.

"Stay out of trouble. Be safe; don't go dueling anymore Death Eaters." He said seriously, but a grin was forming on his face.

"Everyone keeps telling me that. I don't go out looking for trouble!" Hermione reminded him and Remus only nodded. The two stood like that for a moment, just staring at each other, when Hermione cleared her throat. "You be safe." Hermione pressed as she poked him in the chest.

"I always am," He reminded her and Hermione sighed. She was about to tell him something else, when she was suddenly swept away into a large overbearing hug.

"MIONE I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU!" Sirius screamed dramatically and Hermione elbowed her way out of his embrace and narrowed her eyes at him. This was probably why people still thought he liked her. The arse.

"Sirius I'm not going anywhere—"

"THERE THERE, HERMIONE! I'VE GOT YOU NOW!" Sirius interrupted as he shoved her head into his chest and began stroking the back of her head "comfortingly." Hermione struggled to break free and when she did she sighed. She ran a hand through the back of her hair and found it to be more tangled and messy than before.

"Sirius," Hermione scolded him as he lifted her up into another hug. Hermione rolled her eyes as he set her down, but couldn't help but laugh. "Will you write to me please?" Hermione wondered and Sirius nodded his head eagerly.

"Of course," He said dumbly. "You're going to visit us at James' house over break then?" He wondered and Hermione nodded her head. "Good."

"I'm going to miss you guys," Hermione sighed as she watched as the other three Marauders were messing around with each other. Pete had jumped onto James' back and James currently had Remus pinned down and was tickling him. Hermione shook her head and giggled.

"We'll see you soon enough," Sirius winked and then hugged her once more. "Love you 'Mione." He said as he walked away to talk to Marlene and Alice.

Once Hermione said goodbye to everyone, Remus waved her over again.

"Sorry about Sirius," He said a bit more bashfully than usual. "You know him; he's a bit dramatic at times." Remus laughed and Hermione joined. Once they were done she leaned in and kissed him. Remus kissed back, a bit more forcefully than usual, and Hermione had to pull away before other students began to look. She leaned her forehead against his chest and sighed.

"I love you." She told him.

"I love you too." He replied as he kissed her forehead.

Watching all of the students leave made Hermione's heart drop. Much like over Christmas Holiday, the castle empty was not nearly as fun as the castle full. She wondered around the castle until she found herself facing the Room of Requirement, just about to go in, when a voice behind her cleared their throat.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. Did you miss the train?" Professor Bode's voice asked and Hermione's heart sunk.

~Until Next Time~

 **Alright, by now you guys should know that I am very fond of cliff-hangers. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please review, reviews GIVE me life!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Greetings everyone! You know the drill! Hope you like this chapter, and please review!**

 _ **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling own the Harry Potter universe, I unfortunately do not.**_

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"Hello," Hermione gasped a bit as she backed up into the door. Professor Bode was staring down at her, with eyes that looked hungry and full of hate. Hermione suddenly decided that she really hated his eyes.

"Miss the train?" He repeated and Hermione shook her head.

"No, I'll be working with Madam Rosemerta this summer. That's why I didn't leave on the train, I'll be in Hogsmeade." Hermione coldly replied and Professor Bode nodded his head. He turned his head to the left, then the right and then stepped closer towards Hermione, who was already backed against the wall.

"I see." Professor Bode smiled at her then looked around again. "And why are we wandering the castle then?" He raised a brow and a fire built inside of Hermione.

"I don't know. Why are _we?_ " Hermione retorted as she crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. It was very much unlike Hermione Granger to give a teacher cheek, but this was different. Professor Bode narrowed his eyes at her then frowned.

"Are you muggleborn?" He wondered and Hermione was instantly taken aback. She didn't quite understand why it mattered but she cleared her throat anyways.

"Halfblood." Hermione lied as she kept her eyes firmly on him. It seemed they had had this same conversation before. One hand slowly fell to her side and slipped into her pocket, gripping her wand tight. Professor Bode looked at her hard once more than nodded his head and briskly turned around.

"Have a good summer Hermione." He called as he walked away quickly and Hermione narrowed her eyes and watched as he walked away. Once her body finally relaxed, she waited a moment to make sure she wouldn't run into Professor Bode again, and sped off to Dumbledore's office.

She sprinted down the steps, carefully avoiding the trick steps and continued running until she reached Dumbledore's office. She stood in front of the gargoyle and groaned.

"Bumbleberries." She tried and nothing happened. She stomped her foot and impatiently tried three more times and yet nothing happened. She cursed under her breath when the gargoyle spoke up.

"He's not in." It croaked and Hermione blinked. She had no idea where she was going to go, but she needed to be somewhere safe. She began to run back to the Gryffindor common room when she came across Professor McGonagall, who was briskly walking down the hall with her luggage, magnificently floating in the air behind her, following.

"Professor!" Hermione called as she raced towards the old witch. Professor McGonagall at first looked taken aback, then slightly concerned that Hermione was still here.

"Ms. Granger, surely you haven't missed the train?" Professor McGonagall raised a stern brow and Hermione stopped in her tracks. She had honestly suspected that Dumbledore had told Professor McGonagall about her situation, and was a bit surprised to see that she was out of the loop.

"Oh, no. I'm going to Hogsmeade, so I have no need for the train." Hermione explained quickly and Professor McGonagall nodded. She looked as if she wanted to ask the girl something, but thought better of it. It was well known amongst the school now that Hermione was an 'orphan.' But being an orphan in these times wasn't so strange, as Voldemort's advances continued.

"Well, better get going then. The castle's truly emptying out." The stern witch eerily warned. Hermione cringed and bit her lip. If Dumbledore wasn't here, would she be all alone in the castle? Surely not, other people must stay.

"Professor," Hermione began as she fought to catch up to the brisk walking woman. "Can I ask you about something?" Hermione wondered.

"You just did," Professor McGonagall looked down upon the girl. Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or to apologize. Professor McGonagall must have understood the girl's inner monologue and sighed. "Go on."

"How much do we know about Professor Bode?" Hermione questioned and McGonagall raised an eyebrow.

"The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Professor McGonagall said aloud. "Seemed to be doing an adequate job, don't you agree?" Professor McGonagall mused and Hermione cleared her throat.

"Well, he knows a lot about the Dark Arts…He just seems a bit suspicious to me." Hermione spoke. Once the words were out of her mouth, Hermione knew how insane they sounded. She reminded herself of Harry, back in her own time; all of his suspicions about Snape, how paranoid he always was.

"Suspicious?" The older witch nearly chuckled. "Why do you say that?"

Hermione swallowed quickly and sighed, not quite knowing how to explain her feelings. "Do you know if he'll be coming back next year?" Hermione wondered.

"Ms. Granger, I'd never honestly would have never taken you to believe in such superstitions. That nonsense about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position being cursed is just that—nonsense." Hermione looked down at her feet; a bit ashamed about being scolded by one of the people she admired most.

"So he'll be coming back then?" Hermione pressed and Professor McGonagall rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I don't see why he wouldn't," She plainly put and continued walking. "Why are you bothering yourself with this anyway?"

Hermione struggled to find words to say, then shrugged. "Honestly Professor, he just creeps me out." Hermione admitted as she continued looking down. A small black spider crawled up onto her shoe, then off the other side. Hermione absentmindedly shook it off and looked back at her Professor who nodded her head, now concerned.

"Ms. Granger, perhaps you should talk to the Headmaster about this." She looked around quickly then leaned in closer. "I'll look into the situation a bit more, if it concerns you so much" She said in a low voice, and Hermione perked up.

"Professor, thank you!" Hermione stuttered as the woman stalked away.

"Have a good summer Ms. Granger." She called out then turned around. "And do try to keep out of harms way, you are a talented witch no doubt, but I think we can all sleep better knowing you won't go trying to duel Death Eaters." McGonagall told Hermione, which caused her to blush.

"I don't go trying to duel them Professor, they find me." She called out as the older witch walked away. Hermione nodded her head, feeling better about the situation at hand. She looked down at her feet, and then reached her hands into her robe pockets. Her hand found a piece of parchment, that she didn't think she had put there. Slowly pulling it out, she found that it was the Marauder's Map. And when she pulled it out, a note fell to the ground. Hermione slowly picked it up and began to read.

 _Hermione,_

 _Thought this might come in handy since you'll be trapped in the castle alone. Feel free to find new passageways and fix up the map in any way you see fit. Just so you know, Remus punched me for writing that. Anyways, see you in a few weeks._

 _Love,_

 _your dearest bestest MOST dearest friend,_

 _Sirius_

Hermione held the note and the map tightly to her chest. She had not flat out told Sirius that she wasn't actually working at the Three Broomsticks, but she had figured that he would have put two and two together and realize she would be staying at the castle. She couldn't help but laugh at the map as she put it back inside her pocket. Realizing that she was actually still in her school uniform and robes, she quickly headed to her common room to change, when she reached the portrait the Fat Lady looked surprised.

"You're still here." She noted and Hermione nodded.

"I don't know the password," Hermione admitted and the Fat Lady blinked at her.

"Very well." She hissed as the portrait swung open and Hermione bounded in. The Gryffindor common room was very odd, now that everyone was gone. Hermione thought it was almost eerie, and decided she wouldn't spend any more time than she had too in the castle. Once she was changed into muggle clothes, she bounded out of the castle and towards the grounds.

She found herself standing at Hagrid's door, and rapidly knocking on it. Hagrid swung the door open quickly, and looked surprised when he saw Hermione standing there.

"Er, ello Mione." Hagrid said cheerfully as he swung open the door and let her in. "You didn't leave Hogwarts." He noted and Hermione nodded.

"No, I'll be staying here for the summer." Hermione admitted, there was no point lying to Hagrid, he'd be here as well. Hagrid looked at her sadly nodded his head. He opened a small cupboard door and pulled out two tea cups and took the kettle off of the stove. He began pouring her tea and cleared his throat.

"Sorry bout yer family," Hagrid sniffled quite loudly and Hermione sunk lower into her chair. "I didn't know yer mum, but I'm sure she was a wonderful witch." Hagrid teared up and Hermione swallowed deeply. She didn't like seeing Hagrid upset, especially about something that was a lie. However, Hermione thought that her own tragic truth was much sadder than the one she had concocted with Dumbledore.

"Thank you Hagrid, it means a lot." Hermione said and took a drink of her tea. She heard a strange mewling noise and looked down towards her feet to see of white fluff ball of cat staring back up at her, eyes wide and tawny. Hermione gasped as she looked down at the kitten and scooped it up into her arms. She slowly scratched its head as it cooed in her arms and then sneezed, causing Hermione to giggle.

"He likes ya." Hagrid commented as the kitten rubbed its head against Hermione. "Ya can keep 'im if yer want. Found 'im wanderin' on the grounds. It'd make the castle less lonely, I think." Hagrid commented as Hermione planted a kiss directly on the cats head.

"So it's a boy," Hermione commented. "Whats his name?"

"Hasn't got one." Hagrid grunted and Hermione pursed her lips in thought.

"What about Snowball?" Hermione wondered and from the cringe the Hagrid wore, Hermione knew that it was an awful suggestion. "Er, I'll think of one later." She added hastily and the color returned to Hagrid's face.

"How are the boys doin'" Hagrid wondered and Hermione perked up.

"It was sad seeing everyone go, but I'll be visiting them soon enough." Hermione said after a moment. The kitten in her arms squirmed in an attempt to free itself. Hermione gasped as she fought to get a better grip on the cat, wondering why it was suddenly acting so harshly. She then looked up, and at the window was an owl, eagerly pecking to get in. Hagrid grunted as he reached acrossed the table and opened the window. The tawny owl fluttered in and landed on Hermione's shoulders, causing the kitten to jump out of her arms and scurry away behind Hagrid.

"Er, hello." Hermione said to the owl as she took the letter out of its mouth. She raised an eyebrow at Hagrid who shrugged.

 _Ms. Granger,_

 _Please meet me in my office as soon as possible. The password is 'Cheesegoat'. Do come immediately._

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Hermione squinted closely at the paper then sighed.

"I've got to go meet with Dumbledore, Hagrid. I'll be back visiting you soon. But thank you for the tea, and for a new friend." Hermione smiled as she picked up the kitten in one hand. It looked up at her quite please with himself, and hiccupped. Hermione waved goodbye to Hagrid as she bounded towards the castle. The sun was slowly beginning to set, and Hermione was glad she didn't have to walk back to the castle alone in the dark—er, besides No-Name. She pulled out the map of her back pocket and found it to be completely depressing. The absence of all of the students made it quite bland. She quickly tucked it away once she came across the Gargoyle, she recollected her voice.

"Cheesegoat," She told it and then she bounded up the stairs.

"Ah, Ms. Granger. Do have a seat," Dumbledore smiled down at her and she tightly smiled back. She hadn't quite forgiven him for the incident with Snape, but she decided she should probably be polite nonetheless. "And who is this?" He asked and Hermione whipped her head around and found that the kitten was skipping towards her cheerfully. Hermione blushed as she scooped the cat up and sat down.

"Hagrid gave him to me; I haven't gotten a name for him yet." Hermione admitted as the kitten purred loudly as she stroked behind its ear.

"I often find," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "that the best names, are often ones we don't expect to stumble upon." Hermione nodded her head and forged a smile, she honestly had no clue what he meant by that statement, but wasn't about to let him know that. "Obviously, I did not call you here to discuss names for your new friend. Over the past few weeks, Severus has managed to be of great use." Dumbledore explained and Hermione paled. She hardly wanted to hear how Snape was put in danger, but she didn't have a choice.

"And he hasn't been murdered yet? Wonderful." Hermione couldn't stop herself from blurting out. She immediately felt guilty and sunk lower into her seat.

"On the contrary, Severus has gifted us with Tom Riddle's diary." Dumbledore announced and Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Tom Riddle's diary…" She murmured. "A Horcrux."

"Yes indeed, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore nodded his head and took a sip of the tea in front of him. "It's in a very safe place. Voldemort is not yet aware that we have found it, nor I think does he know as much as he believes about our situation." Dumbledore wisely stated.

"You haven't destroyed it?" Hermione gasped and leaned forward eagerly. "Shouldn't they be, er—disposed of immediately?" She wondered and Dumbledore tapped his long bony fingers on his desk.

"If we were to destroy it now, wouldn't you think that'd make Voldemort that much more suspicious. I think it wise that when we do dispose of the Horcruxes, it should be when we are ready to dispose of Voldemort. He'll only rush and make more, if he knows we are onto him." Dumbledore spoke, but the words didn't make sense to Hermione.

"We're just waiting for him to be more powerful, we're waiting for him to kill more people!" Hermione firmly stated, James and Lily were planted into her mind.

"Voldemort will kill people no matter what, Ms. Granger. Innocent lives will be taken, this is war." Dumbledore looked at her, then sighed. "You are a bright witch Hermione, I don't doubt that. But perhaps you have gotten too attached to the people you have met in this time." Dumbledore suggested. Flashes of the Marauder's stirred in her brain. First Remus, then Sirius, James, and Peter. Then her three dorm mates. And then, even Severus. In that moment, she felt a great dislike for where Dumbledore was going with this.

"I—I'd do anything for them. They're my family now." Hermione's eyebrows furrowed together as she looked down at the ground.

"I'm glad to hear that, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore nodded his head, then sighed. "When the time comes, however my dear and you have to choose between your friends and the future of the wizarding world, which will you choose?" He raised a brow and Hermione cleared her throat.

"Sir, I think I'd choose a future in which my friends survived." She told him coolly and Dumbledore only nodded. "Professor, please don't doubt my dedication. If anything, the bonds I have made in this time only make me want to beat Voldemort more. If anything, my friendships have only strengthened my desire to do what I was sent back to do." Hermione stated firmly. "I'll get it done, and this time, without their casualties." Dumbledore chuckled at her seriousness of the situation

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," Dumbledore mused and Hermione stood up a bit straighter. "You've grown quite fond of Mr. Lupin." Dumbledore noted and Hermione couldn't stop the blush that grew in her cheeks.

"Well…He's my mate, sir." Hermione blushed a bit and Dumbledore's face softened into a smile.

"Ah, young love." He smiled lazily off into the distance and Hermione suddenly felt like she was intruding a very private moment. Not knowing what else to do, Hermione loudly cleared her throat.

"So you've called me in to talk about the Diary?" Hermione asked and Dumbledore hesitated.

"Not just the diary. There is an Order meeting next week, and I would be honored if you would join us." Dumbledore politely requested. Hermione blinked and nodded her head.

"Would I be inducted?" She raised a brow and Dumbledore chuckled.

"I'd say you already are." He spoke and Hermione couldn't help but agree. "I think it would be well for you to familiarize yourself with some of the Order members. Seeing as the Death Eater's have targeted you twice now, I think that a small bit of protection is probably appropriate." Hermione blinked at his words. She didn't _need_ protection, but she did like the idea of meeting with the original Order.

"I think that's smart. Will the boys be there?" asked Hermione, who was obviously talking about the Marauders.

"They've already been inducted, as you know Ms. Granger, so they are requested to come." Dumbledore noticed Hermione perk up and he cleared his throat. "However, Ms. Granger I must warn you. None of you will be involved with any serious mission until you graduate. The only reason you five have been included is because you've proven yourselves quite adept in duels and you all also certainly favor the Order's cause as well." Dumbledore said a bit condescendingly. Hermione huffed and sat up.

"But you'd let Severus be involved?" Hermione raised a brow. She wasn't jealous that Severus was completely in the middle of things, she almost pitied him. She liked the idea of being included and fighting for what she believed in, but she didn't want anyone to get hurt.

"Severus certainly put himself in that position alone, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore warned her and Hermione quickly nodded her head.

"Where will the meeting be held?" She raised a brow and Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"Do you know a man by the name of Arthur Weasley?"

~Until Next Time~

 **Another cliff-hanger…Whats up with that man? This one is a bit of a happier one, I think. Anyways please review and let me know what you're thinking. Thanks so much for reading!**


	32. Chapter 32

**Greetings Everyone! I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter! Please review!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the HP Universe! Not me..):**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"Arthur Weasley!" Hermione gasped and Dumbledore's head tilted. She hadn't thought that he had been in the original order. She quickly did the math in her head, and figured that he would probably be in his late twenties. He and Mrs. Weasley had probably already had Bill and Charlie, maybe even Percy.

"You seem to be familiar with him?" He wondered and Hermione nodded eagerly.

"Yes! Yes, of course! He's in the Order now? I didn't think he was in the original Order." Hermione admitted and Dumbledore nodded.

"Arthur's wife Molly has two brothers that joined; Fabian and Gideon Prewett. They convinced the couple to join as well. The Order needs as many forces as it can get." Dumbledore explained and Hermione nodded hesitantly. She agreed that the Order had needed more forces, but she didn't want Arthur and Molly in any danger, especially since nearly half of their children haven't even been born yet.

"Of course…" Hermione said a bit absentmindedly. The two stayed quiet for a moment, and Hermione saw her opportunity. "Sir, I don't like Professor Bode." Hermione bluntly told her Headmaster. Dumbledore looked taken aback at first then nodded his head.

"In your time, do you know of him?" He raised a brow and Hermione eagerly shook her head.

"No! That's the thing, I've never even heard of him!" Hermione pressed anxiously. "No one seems to know anything about him! I think—I think he knows about me, sir. He seems suspicious, odd even. I don't like it at all. I don't trust him, if I'm being truthful with you sir, he frightens me." Hermione confessed all in one large breath. She exhaled loudly, proud to get all of that information off her chest.

"Ms. Granger, may I ask what he has done to give you such an intense impression?" Dumbledore wondered and Hermione nodded her head. She then quickly went on to explain the patronus situation. She then told about their encounter on the seventh floor, and even mentioned Bellatrix saying that she was receiving information from the inside. After listening to all of the details, Dumbledore closed his eyes tightly, then opened them.

"I believe you," He said softly and Hermione's jaw nearly dropped.

"You do?!" Hermione gasped. She had not expected Dumbledore to so easily just accept the information she had told him. "What—what are you going to do about it?" Hermione looked up at her Headmaster with utter shock.

"What do you believe I should do?" He asked Hermione. She looked up at him and shrugged, one of the rare times she had nothing to say. "Ms. Granger, have you ever heard of the saying, 'keep your friends close, but your enemies' closer?'" Hermione's heart sunk, she didn't like where this was going.

"I don't like the sound of that," She admitted and Dumbledore only nodded his head.

"One rarely does," He smiled at her and Hermione shook her head and looked around.

"So he'll be teaching again next year?" Hermione raised an eyebrow and Dumbledore hesitated then spoke.

"I think it would be wise, to keep him under a watchful eye, don't you agree?" He asked. Hermione thought it'd be rather wise to throw him into the Forbidden Forest and let nature take its course, but didn't say anything. "I'd much prefer it if you didn't go many places alone, when the school year approaches. If Professor Bode is what you say, you'd be quite valuable to him." Dumbledore warned and Hermione agreed. "Goodnight, Ms. Granger." He bid her farewell and Hermione quickly got up and walked away, her cat following closely behind her.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus was extraordinarily tired, but he had really wanted to write Hermione a letter before he slept. He already had a dull ache that resided in his stomach from their distance and he didn't think he could wait a full two weeks. Remus quickly jotted down a letter to Hermione, then pulled out another piece of parchment and began writing to Peter and Sirius and James.

Before he could write much down, a large grey unfamiliar owl pecked at his window. He quickly ran over to it and opened it, hopefully before his parents heard. The large grey owl stretched out its wings and waited for a treat. Remus rolled his eyes and waved the bird off while he read the letter.

 _Mr. Remus J. Lupin,_

 _Your first Order meeting will be one week from today. Please floo to Mr. Potter's house, where arrangements have been made for you to floo to the meeting place. We will be looking forward to your attendance._

It wasn't signed, Remus noted, but he thought the handwriting looked quite similar too Dumbledore's. His stomach burned with excitement, and he wondered if the other boys had gotten their messages yet. Remus looked the letter over once more, and wondered if Hermione would be attending. He quickly grabbed his message to Hermione, and jotted the question down, before sending his own, much smaller family owl out into the night.

The large grey owl stared at Remus unamused until the boy tossed a dead mouse into the air and watched as the grey owl caught it effortlessly, then flew away out into the night. Nearly moments later, pecking on his window brought Remus out of his daydreams and he quickly sat up. For a moment, he had hoped that it was Hermione, but then immediately recognized the Potter Families' owl. Remus let the owl inside his room and quickly snatched the letter.

 _Remus!_

 _Did you get the invite! Order meeting in a week, our first one! Do you reckon Hermione will be there? Eh nevermind that…Of course she will be! Anyways, guess we'll be seeing you a lot sooner that we thought. See you then!_

 _Sirius & James_

Although the letter said it was from the two of them, Remus could easily distinguish the handwriting as James' although he was sure that Sirius would have been reading it over James' shoulder. Remus scribbled back a lazy reply and handed it to the Potter family Owl. He lay down on his bed and shoved his face into his pillow, hoping that the next week would fly by fast.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

That next morning, Hermione got a letter from each of the boys, all wondering if she would be at the upcoming Order meeting. She found it strange that both James and Sirius had sent her one, but she was willing to bet that they were competing to see who she'd reply to first. She looked over all of the letters and decided to write one to Remus first.

 _Dear Remus,_

 _I will be attending the Order meeting, so I'll be seeing you in a week. The castle is lonely. It's actually horrible when there aren't any other students around. I've also told Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore about Professor Bode. He cornered me after everyone left; I probably should have said that first. I know you seem to think that I'm exaggerating, but there is something off with him. Dumbledore believed me however, but it's probably best that I just wait and tell you when I see you in person. Don't freak out though, I promise I'm safe._

 _By the way, Hagrid gave me a kitten and I haven't come up with a name for it yet? He's fluffy and white. What do you think?_

 _I love you and I miss you,_

 _Hermione._

She was in the middle of writing a letter back Peter, when the white kitten jumped up onto her desk and promptly sat down on top of her piece of parchment.

"Cat!" She gasped as she grabbed the cat around its belly and gently set it on the ground. It rubbed up against her leg and purred loudly. Hermione put down her quill, unable to write anymore and crossed her arms. Looking around her mostly empty dorm room, she decided that it was probably best that she got out of the lonely castle, before she was bored to death. So she gathered up all of her left over galleons and decided to head for Hogsmeade.

It was a warm summer day; one Hermione wasn't used to seeing at Hogwarts. The cat bounded after her happily, pausing only to attack bugs that flew easily away. Hermione giggled and rolled her eyes. She went to scoop up that cat, when it gave her one scared look and darted off in the opposite direction. Hermione huffed angrily and took after it. The kitten was hard to miss, as its bushy white fur and chubby demeanor made it quite noticeable and pretty slow for a cat. Hermione chase it around a corner, and scooped that cat quickly up, before it could run any further away. She scolded it and made her way into the potions store, to resupply the ingredients for the Wolfsbane potion. Hermione had made it her mission, that by the end of summer, she'd have it perfectly ready for Remus to use.

After Hermione had gotten the much needed potions, she swung by the bookstore and picked up a few books for a bit of light reading. Feeling successful enough with her purchases, Hermione setback for the castle, taking a short detour to visit the Black Lake. She pondered there for a short while as she watched the cat dip its paw in the water, then quickly tug it out and shoot three feet away from the shore.

"Don't be scared," Hermione told the kitten. "It's just water." She said as she dipped her hand into the water to show the cat that it wasn't dangerous.

"Cats don't like water Granger. You should know that." A voice reminded her and Hermione quickly whipped around, gripping her wand tightly in her hand. Severus Snape stood a few yards away from her, his eyes narrowed and examining her. Hermione took a step to the side, seeing as there was only water behind her, and bent down to scoop up her cat. The kitten however, had other things in plan as it darted out towards Snape, who promptly picked the cat up and began rubbing its head.

"Give him back," Hermione said firmly as she held out an arm. Severus rolled his eyes and dropped the kitten into her hand and snorted. "Why are you _here_?" Hermione scowled at the boy. Severus shrugged and looked down at his feet.

"I have to meet with Dumbledore. Why are _you_ here?" He sneered back and Hermione's eyes squinted.

"In case you haven't noticed, your Death Eater friends murdered my family. I'm _alone!_ I don't have _home_ to go back to. I'm stuck in Hogsmeade." She said harshly. She wasn't quite sure why, but she wanted Severus to feel guilty for her faux situation.

"They aren't my friends Hermione!" Snape hissed. The fact that he said Hermione's first name made Hermione cringe and she closed her eyes tightly. "I didn't want this." He said under his breath quietly as a cool breeze flowed through the summer air.

"And yet you chose it." Hermione said bluntly, thinking back to the incident her friends had told her about. She recalled the story of when Snape called Lily a Mudblood in front of nearly half the school. He had dug himself his own grave, this was all his doing. Snape looked at her for a moment then sighed.

"Yeah, I did." Snape said quietly. "But don't think I don't regret the choices I've made. Don't act like you know what I'm going through. You have NO idea!" Snape told her in an eerily calm voice. His eyes darted left, then right then he tugged his shirt sleeve up. On his left forearm, there sat the dark mark.

"Severus…" Hermione inhaled sharply as she looked closer at his arm. It was red and swollen, which contrasted greatly against the paleness of his skin. "You let them—"

"I didn't _let_ anyone Hermione." Severus hissed as he pulled his eyes away from his arm in disgust. "But it had to be done. For the—for the greater good." Snape spat out eventually. Hermione was stunned into silence. What could she say to make this situation better?

"Severus, never mind the greater good if it's going to get you _murdered_!" Hermione gasped with wide eyes as she bit down on her bottom lip angrily. "I know you have this awful sense of needing to make up for your mistakes, but how do you expect to do that if you get yourself killed!" Hermione hissed as she began to stomp towards the castle. Severus paused for a moment then jogged to catch up with her.

Severus shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Hermione, I'm in now. If anything, having the Dark Mark just proves that they believe me. He trusts me." Snape attempted to explain to Hermione. Hermione had no idea which 'he' Severus was referring to; Dumbledore or Voldemort. But Hermione had a sneaking suspicion that both of these men fit perfectly into that category.

"I'm still mad at you for nearly getting me killed," Hermione told him once they reached the castle doors. Severus nodded his head and then it hung low.

"I don't blame you," He spoke finally. Hermione nodded her head, and the two didn't say anything for a short while. As they both walked down the long castle corridors, Severus gestured to the cat.

"Whats his name?" Snape asked as he motioned to the kitten who trotted happily in front of them. Hermione pursed her lips and shrugged.

"He hasn't gotten one yet," Hermione added as Snape raised an eyebrow Hermione couldn't help but snort. "What should I name it after, _you_?" She teased and Severus' eyes went wide with disgust.

"Merlin no! I wouldn't want to plague anything with the name Severus. It's positively horrid." Snape admitted and Hermione couldn't help but laugh along. As they arrived at Dumbledore's office, Hermione turned to stop.

"Goodbye Severus," She told the Slytherin awkwardly. He nodded curtly as her as he murmured the password to the Gargoyle. Just as he was about to walk up the steps, Hermione loudly cleared her throat, causing him to sigh and turn around.

"Is there something else, Granger?" He returned back to his sneering self.

Hermione bit her bottom lip and nodded her head. "Yeah, yeah. Be—be careful." Hermione finally said after a moment, causing Severus to roll his eyes and turn away. Hermione sighed loudly and shook her head.

"C'mon," She told the cat as they both walked back to Hermione's room. Hermione entered her room and saw and owl pecking on her window, causing the kitten to sprint towards the bed for shelter. She sniggered at the small cat and found that it was a letter from Remus.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _A cat. Really? Gross._

 _Please be safe, try not to go anywhere by yourself. I know that will be hard, but I don't want any Death Eaters to come after you again. I'm glad you told Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore about Bode. I'm starting to like him less and less. I'm looking forward to the Order meeting, what do you think it's about? I miss you, a lot and I can't wait until we'll be able to see each other again._

 _P.S_

 _Name the cat Khons. It's the Egyptian moon god's name. Fitting, since I hate the moon. And cats._

 _Love, Remus._

Hermione rolled her eyes at the letter then looked down at the cat who was staring up at her with wide eyes.

"Khons," She called to it. The kitten remained planted. "Oh well, any name should take some getting used to I suppose."

 _ **Remus' POV**_

A week later, Remus sat in his kitchen eating lunch with his family. He was desperately trying to focus on what his parents were saying, but was having trouble because he was so excited to go to the Order meeting.

That was another thing. His family didn't exactly know what the Order was about, and Remus didn't want to tell them in fear of them preventing him from joining—er, going—since Remus was technically already a member. Remus had told his family that he was just going to visit James and Sirius, which Remus' parents were completely content with.

"Remus! Remus!" Lyall Lupin hissed from acrossed the table. Remus looked up from the trance he was in and cringed.

"Sorry, what was that?" He asked and his father sighed and then looked to Remus' mother.

"You're mom was asking about your girlfriend." Lyall sighed and attempted to give Remus a stern face. It was hopeless though, Remus' parents absolutely adored him. Remus turned towards his mother and offered a pitiful apology, which she immediately accepted.

"I wanted to know what she's like," Hope Lupin pressed as she took a bite of her sandwich. "Hermione, right?" Hope raised an eyebrow. Remus nodded eagerly and shifted comfortably in his seat.

"She's wonderful, you'll see." Remus grinned. "Smartest witch I know, top of our class."

"What house is she in?" Lyall raised a brow and Remus cleared his throat.

"Gryffindor, she's in my year." Remus hastily explained, hoping his parents didn't ask _too_ many questions.

"Why haven't we heard of her before?" Lyall wondered.

"Lyall, we have." Hope insisted as she took another bite. "She dated Sirius a bit, didn't she?" Hope wondered and Remus awkwardly nodded. "Isn't that a bit…Awkward?" Hope pressed.

Remus loved his parents, he truly did. But they were his parents, and one of the things that parents did best was nag. And boy did Remus' mother love to nag

"Yeah, they did actually. But they decided they were much better off as friends. Their break up was mutual." Remus awkwardly said as he looked at the clock, willing the time to go by sooner. His mother tisked acrossed the table and sighed.

"I wish you weren't going away so soon," His mother told Remus and he couldn't help but laugh. "You just got back."

"I'll be away for a night," He grinned and tousled his curls. Hope tilted her head and frowned at her son.

"When do you plan on telling your girlfriend about your er—lycanthropy?" Lyall raised an eyebrow and Hope sighed.

"He doesn't! That could be extremely dangerous!" Hope scolded her husband who put his hands up defensively. Remus cleared his throat.

"Actually, she already knows." Remus announced and his mother let out a loud squeal while his father choked on his drink.

"Don't you think it's a little soon, I mean, you two haven't been dating long at all?" Hope whimpered and Lyall narrowed his eyes at his son.

"I actually didn't tell her, she found out on her own." Remus explained and his parents shared a glance. "I told you she was bright," Remus added with a smirk. "She doesn't care. At all. It's the least of her worries, actually." Remus added. And technically it was. His parents looked at him with sadness and his mother sighed.

"We're glad you're happy, Remus." She said after a moment, but the sad look never left her face. Remus sighed; he knew that this would have been much easier to explain if he could just tell them that Hermione was his mate.

"I really am." He grinned, and then checked the clock. "And I'm late, so I think I have to get going." He told his parents. His mother stood up and squeezed him tightly and he shook his father's hand. He waved a goodbye as he stepped into the fireplace and flooed to James' house.

~Until Next Time~

 **Please leave a review, and thank you so much for reading this story. You guys seriously are the best.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Greetings Everyone! Please review!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe!**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione could hardly help her excitement as she entered Dumbledore's office the day of the Order meeting. She was going a bit stir crazy, being alone in the castle—besides Khons and the paintings, it was empty. Dumbledore was usually gone; Hermione thought that he was probably doing Order business. The only upside to being this isolated was that Hermione had plenty of time to work on the Wolfsbane potion. And Hermione was certainly on the right track. The potion was turning the right color, but not at the correct time. Hermione was certain that this just had to do with the order in which she added ingredients, so she figured that the potion wouldn't take that much longer.

"Are you ready Ms. Granger?" Dumbledore smiled at the girl and held out a long bony arm. Hermione raised a brow but nodded, and grabbed his arm around the elbow.

"Are we apparating?" Hermione questioned suddenly and Dumbledore nodded next to her. He must have noticed the curious look on Hermione's face, because he answered.

"Normally, apparating on the grounds isn't possible. But being the headmaster does have its perks." Dumbledore explained and Hermione faintly nodded, preparing herself for the more than likely horrid trip. "Hold on tight," Dumbledore added. Hermione felt a small tug on her stomach, then suddenly felt very nauseas.

Hermione opened her eyes, and she stood before the Burrow. She wasn't sure whether it was the nostalgia from seeing such a familiar place, or the fact that she had just apparated, but Hermione promptly quickly bent to the side and vomited.

"Oh," Dumbledore said a bit surprised as he stepped out of the way of the girl. Hermione put a hand over her mouth and slowly stood up straight. "I should have warned you, it's not very pleasurable, is it." Hermione faintly nodded her head as she followed Dumbledore towards the house.

The burrow was much neater looking now, Hermione noted. The yard had yet to have any gnomes and the building wasn't quite as rickety. Hermione was excited to see the Weasley's, but also quite anxious. Following closely behind Dumbledore as he knocked on the door twice.

The door in front of them swung open, and Hermione's eyes went wide as she looked at a largely pregnant Molly Weasley. The first thing Hermione noticed about her was how much she looked like Ginny. They had the same freckles and wavy red hair. The only noticeable difference between the two was while Ginny's face was normally plagued with a hint of mischief; Mrs. Weasley's was tinted with stress.

"Dumbledore!" She cried as she greeted the old wizard. A voice from the inside gasped and a tall red headed man who could only be Arthur Weasley appeared.

"Hello Albus!" The younger Mr. Weasley said cheerfully as he looked upon the older wizard.

"Hello Arthur, Molly I trust the baby is doing well?" Dumbledore replied with a small smile. Molly slapped a hand down on her large stomach and sighed.

"Two more months of this." She sighed heavily then let out a nervous giggle. "The boys are in there betting that it's a girl…But I think it's another boy." Molly said as a loud child screamed in the background, causing her to cringe. Arthur then wrapped an arm nurturing around Molly's shoulders and rubbed her back. Molly glanced passed Dumbledore and finally saw Hermione. She quickly elbowed her husband in the ribs and motioned towards Hermione.

"Oh, is this the girl from your letter?" Molly asked the old wizard and Hermione instantly wondered what he had wrote about her. Molly smiled at Hermione and stuck out a hand.

"Molly Weasley," She grinned wide, which reminded Hermione so much of Ginny.

"Hermione, Hermione Granger." The bushy haired girl returned the handshake and looked up at the old wizard.

"Arthur Weasley," Mr. Weasley announced as he brought Hermione in for an awkward hug. After she pulled away, Molly looked at her sweetly.

"Wonderful, dear. Come in, both of you, the meeting should be starting soon!" Molly exclaimed as she lead them both to the kitchen, with Arthur tightly in tow.

The house was much different than what Hermione was used too. Although it was obvious that the house had seen better days, and it was definitely not the epitome of wealth, it was homey, and Hermione instantly fell in love. As Hermione came into view of the kitchen, she noticed that there was a large table, surrounded by nearly thirty Order members. Hermione's eyes went wide as she took them all in. As the group noticed her, she found that they all fell silent and sat up a bit straighter. Hermione found this odd, until she realized that they were probably looking at Dumbledore, not her. As Hermione shuffled into view, she saw the four Marauders sitting towards the opposite side of the table, and she couldn't help but grin.

"Oi!" Sirius called and Hermione fumbled over the pushed out chairs until she reached the boys. Sirius was closest so she quickly hugged him and gave him a jab in the gut when he mumbled something inappropriate in her ear. She found Peter next and was suddenly swooped up into one of his signature hugs that she missed so much. James was next and Hermione gave him a big kiss on the cheek and ruffled up his hair, causing him to blush.

And finally Remus was standing there. His head tilted and a mop of light brown curls fell slightly into his face. She threw her arms around him tightly and planted numerous kissed all over his face, causing him to chuckle.

"I missed you," Hermione whispered into his ear. Remus through his head back and laughed and leaned down into her ear.

"It's been a week." She could tell he was smiling and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Oh shut up—"

"Er, I'm confused." A voice acrossed the table from them asked. Hermione turned her attention to the person in which the voice belonged too. Acrossed from her, two stocky red head identical twins stared at her with crossed arms and a mischievously glint in their eyes. Hermione's stomach dropped as she stared at the twins, so easily reminding her of Fred and George.

"As am I, Fabian." The one with more freckles noted.

"Which one of you is her boyfriend?" The one called Fabian asked the group. Hermione was taken aback by the question and she felt Remus' hand clamp down on her own hand possessively, causing Hermione to giggle.

"Er—I think it'll be Remus, seeing as he's staring daggers at me," The other twin grinned, causing the four Marauders to good naturedly laugh.

"Hermione, this is Fabian and Gideon Prewett, they're Molly's brothers." Remus introduced and Hermione nodded, putting the pieces of the puzzle together quite quickly. The twins looked to only be a few years older than Hermione.

"Nice to meet you," Hermione grinned as she stuck out a hand to a twin; she wasn't sure which one. She shook each of their hands and sat down in-between Remus and James. Peter was about to tell the group a story, but Dumbledore spoke up.

"I assume everyone here knows why we are gathered here today," He said clearly and everyone in the room quietly agreed. "Voldemort's ranks are growing, but ours are as well." Dumbledore said as he motioned towards the five teenagers. Hermione sunk lower into her seat as she saw a few disapproving glares from some of the adults.

The next hour or so was Dumbledore and other older wizards and witches explaining the importance of the resistance and assigning different jobs. Hermione looked at each Order member carefully, trying to recognize who they were, and trying to figure out if they survived this war or not.

"I've been stationed in Hogsmeade, and there are quite a few Death Eater's that have taken a liking to swarm there. Just after the end of the school year as well." A dark skinned young woman spoke up from the front of the table. She looked familiar, but Hermione was almost certain that she had never seen the girl in her whole life.

"Which Death Eaters, Dorcas?" A balding wizard asked.

"Rosier and Dolohov mostly. But I've seen Malfoy as well. It has to be Death Eater work; why else would they be at Hogsmeade? There has to be something there that _he_ wants." She explained to the table confidently. Remus' grip on Hermione's hand tightened, and James sent her a worrying look. Hermione glanced up and saw that Dumbledore was staring intently at her nodding.

"Very strange. I think it best if we set up more patrols in Hogsmeade, protecting…." Dumbledore's eyes flashed toward Hermione, "whatever….he may be looking for." Dumbledore finished and the group murmured an agreement.

The rest of the meeting went on uneventfully; most of it was just talking about the different patrols that they were going to set up. At one point, Hermione and the Marauder's were shoved into the next room while everyone who was out of school stayed back.

"That's rubbish," Sirius commented as Molly Weasley pushed him out of the room. "What do you think there talking about?" He wondered aloud.

"Complete bullocks." James agreed as he sat down on a couch, followed by Peter, then by Remus and Hermione.

"Dumbledore told me we weren't going to be allowed to do any missions," Hermione reminded the boys. "Just be lucky that you were able to join." Said Hermione. She casted a quick glance over her shoulder than leaned in closer to the group, causing the rest of the boys to follow suit.

They quickly fell into a quiet conversation about the recent Death Eater's raids. Hermione felt her stomach tighten and Remus put an arm around her comfortingly. But Hermione didn't need comfort, she needed to stop Voldemort. After the conversation they were quiet for a moment, Remus cleared his throat.

"Hermione, tell us what went on with you and Professor Bode," He pressed and Hermione nodded, scooting closer to the four boys. James face wore a confused expression, while Peter just look terrified. Sirius however looked angry and clenched his teeth.

" _What_ happened with you and Professor Bode?" Sirius looked from Remus to Hermione anxiously. Hermione bit her bottom lip and gave them a quick nod, before explaining the events after everyone left.

"Wait, do you think he's a—you know," Peter fumbled with the words as he cringed. Hermione shrugged her shoulders, and Sirius shook his head.

"No, I don't think so." He told the group then turned to Hermione. "I grew up surrounded by Death Eaters; I think he's just a creep." Sirius said and Hermione sighed.

"I just felt like he knew more than he should. He asked if I was _muggleborn_ for Merlin's sake! Why would someone just ask that?" Hermione asked aloud and Sirius' brow set in a furrow.

"She has a point you know," James said hastily and Hermione nodded her head. "Fabian and Gideon might've gone to school with him; they seem around the same age. We could ask them if they knew him?" James offered and Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Brilliant, James! Brilliant!" Hermione grinned as she gave James a large hug. As if on cue, the meeting in the kitchen broke up, and members of the Order started filing into the room. Hermione guessed that there were about thirty people in the crowded home, not counting the order members who were probably on patrol at the moment.

"Dorcas Meadowes," The dark-skinned woman who spoke up during the meeting stuck her hand out in front of Hermione. Initially, Hermione was shocked at the introduction but quickly returned the handshake.

"Hermione Granger," Hermione told Dorcas who nodded her head as she stared at the boys who were talking amongst themselves.

"You're still in Hogwarts?" Dorcas raised an eyebrow and Hermione nodded. "I graduated pretty recently. About three years ago actually, along with those two," Dorcas laughed as she pointed towards the Prewett twins who were telling an animated story to the Marauders. Hermione giggled as Fabian made a waving motion with his hands then plummeted them downwards. Hermione and Dorcas made their way over to the boys, and sat down next to them at the couch.

"Did you guys go to school with a Lee Bode?" Hermione asked bluntly and the Prewett twins shared a noticeable glance.

"What was that," Remus asked referencing to the shared glance between the twins. Dorcas cleared her throat then looked at the five students.

"Lee was quiet, and kind of er—weird." Dorcas decided on and Gideon snorted.

"Weird?" Gideon's eyebrows nearly reached his head.

"The kid was a freak," Fabian snorted and Hermione cringed at the words.

"What do you mean by that?" Sirius asked as his eyes went wide.

"He just, didn't really have friends." Dorcas said quietly, "I actually felt quite bad for him." She admitted as she earned a disturbed look from the twins.

"What house was he in?" James asked and Sirius snorted.

"Probably Slytherin," Sirius rolled his eyes and Dorcas' eyes narrowed at him.

"Oi! My mother was a Slytherin and she's the best woman I know!" Dorcas nodded her head firmly and crossed her eyes, causing Sirius to put his hands up in mock surrender. "He was in Hufflepuff, by the way." She added hastily after realizing she never answered James' question.

"Hufflepuff, really?" James asked wide eyed and Dorcas nodded. James turned toward the Marauders, "Well you never really hear about Hufflepuffs going bad, er—do you?" He awkwardly asked the group and Dorcas scoffed.

"You lot and your house prejudices," She rolled her eyes at an offended looking Sirius and James. Hermione decided she definitely liked Dorcas.

"And what house were _you_ in?" Sirius cocked a brow and Dorcas cleared her throat.

"Gryffindor, with this lot." She said as she pointed her thumb back at the twins. "But that doesn't mean I hate Slytherins or despise Ravenclaws. Yeah, some of them are complete rubbish, I'll admit it. But you can't just classify all of them into the same category!" Dorcas laughed and then pointed at a whirly looking man talking to Dumbledore.

"See him," She pointed and the group followed her gaze to the older man. "His name is Benjy Fenwick. He was a Slytherin, and he's one of the Order's most valuable members." Dorcas laughed as the boys stared at him suspiciously.

"Really?" Sirius asked and Dorcas snorted.

"No, I was lying." She said sarcastically, causing Remus to snigger.

"I like her," He whispered into Hermione's ear, and Hermione eagerly agreed.

"Open your mind, for Merlin's sake." Dorcas finished as she laughed at the completely shocked look on Sirius and James' face, both sharing an awkward glance.

"Dorcas!" Another woman from acrossed the room called and Dorcas turned to the group.

"Later!" She said as she skipped to the other side of the room. As the group watched her walk away, Fabian sighed loudly.

"I'm in love with that woman." He said and the rest of the group laughed.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus so desperately wanted to wrap Hermione up in his arms and never let her go. When he first greeted her, he couldn't help but notice the warm tingling in his stomach that felt so nice. He felt completed. As Dorcas walked away, the rest of the group disbarred a bit. Remus pulled Hermione close and led her outside. The night sky hung bright above them and Remus couldn't help but notice the moon staring at him dauntingly. Hermione must've noticed the look, because she grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"You don't know Professor Bode, in your own time, do you?" Remus asked after a moment, and Hermione nodded. "That's why he bothers you so much." Remus said slowly and Hermione hesitated before nodding her head.

"One of the reasons," Hermione admitted softly. The two walked outside a bit further, just enjoying each other's presence.

"I've missed you," said Remus as he planted a kiss on her forehead. Hermione caught his chin and pulled his mouth to hers.

"I've missed you as well," She whispered as she pulled him into a deep kiss. Remus smirked through the kiss and wrapped his arms tightly across Hermione's waist as he pushed her up against the wall of the house. Hermione whimpered in pleasure at his forcefulness, causing Remus to involuntarily moan into her mouth. Hermione's hands cupped Remus' jaw and pulled him in closer. He ran his hands through Hermione's curls, relishing their private moment. Hermione pulled away for a moment, and gave Remus a knowing look. Remus nodded as he lifted Hermione up and pushed her against the wall again. Hermione's legs hooked around his waist, enabling them to get closer. Remus pressed himself against Hermione, causing her to grind back into him. Remus let out another involuntary groan which made Hermione giggle. Remus pulled away and looked into her eyes dangerously.

"Whats so funny?" He growled, causing Hermione to look at him innocently.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Hermione smirked and Remus growled as he launched himself at her neck, burying her with kisses.

"Remus…" Hermione moaned and Remus mumbled a response.

"Remus!" Hermione gasped and Remus smirked.

"No seriously, Remus quit!" Hermione pushed Remus away and backed into the wall. Remus dropped her immediately and felt his face flush red. Did he do something wrong? Did he say something he shouldn't have? Remus suddenly felt more insecure than ever and awkwardly crossed his arms, daring a glance up at Hermione. She looked just as horrified as he felt, and Remus noticed her eyes glancing over his shoulder, and turned around.

Standing there, staring right at them, _watching_ them, was a small red headed boy. His head was tilted at a peculiar angle and he couldn't have been more than five. _This_ is why they had stopped.

 _Good._ Remus thought, _So I wasn't doing something completely wrong._

"Er—hello," Hermione awkwardly said to the boy who just hiccupped.

"I'm Bill." The boy stated and Hermione looked up at Remus, and then they both broke out into laughter.

"Nice to meet you Bill, I'm Remus." Remus said as he walked over to the boy and stuck his hand out. The boy shook Remus' hand then turned to Hermione.

"Whats your name?" He blinked and Hermione cleared her throat quickly.

"I'm Hermione," the bushy haired witch stuck her hand out. Bill eyed her carefully, then shook her hand.

"Are you one of mum's friends?" Bill asked and Hermione shot Remus a glance.

"Er—yes," Remus replied awkwardly, and then motioned towards the front of the house. "Actually, you should probably get back in there; I bet she's very worried." Remus said in his best Professor McGonagall impression. Hermione looked up at him and giggled, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Only if you come too," Bill told them and Remus groaned loudly as Hermione began to follow the boy. She turned back once, and winked at him and Remus jogged to catch up to her.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Once they were inside, they sat down with the rest of the Marauders.

"Hermione, why don't you just come back with us for tonight?" James whined and Hermione bit her lip, looking back at Dumbledore.

"Trust me," Hermione snorted, "That would be much better than my other plans." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You can floo back to Dumbledore's office in the morning." Sirius pleaded.

"I have a spare bedroom you can sleep in!" James added.

"Hermione, _please_!" Peter put his hands together in a mock prayer.

"Please," Remus smirked as he looked down at Hermione and gave her a pleading look. Hermione sighed loudly and shrugged.

"I'll ask Dumbledore—"

"You won't be able to ask Dumbledore anything, he already left." The man by the name of Benjy Fenwick appeared next to her and interrupted. "You're Hermione Granger, correct?"

Hermione nodded her head, "Yes. And you said Dumbledore already left?" Hermione asked, looking around the room for the old wizard. She had just seen him only a moment ago.

"Benjy Fenwick, pleasure to meet you." He shook her hand and ignored her question. "Dumbledore wanted me to give this to you," Benjy said, then handed her a letter.

Hermione tore open the letter quickly and began to read.

 _Hermione,_

 _I trust that you will act safely tonight. I will be gone due to important Order work and staying at the castle alone would neither be fun, nor safe. I'll owl you when I return at Hogwarts, and you should floo back promptly. I have already made plans with Fleamont and Euphemia Potter. They are wonderful people and I trust you will agree as well. Do be safe Ms. Granger._

 _Albus Dumbledore_

Hermione read the letter over three times before she shoved it into the boy's faces. Once they four boys read it over, they all cheered quite loudly.

"You'll be staying with us?" James gasped as he brought Hermione in for a hug. "I wonder when Dumbledore spoke to my parents…" James thought aloud and Hermione shrugged.

"Alright then, let's get going. I have big plans for tonight!" Sirius dramatically said as he put an arm around Hermione and James. The five of them laughed loudly, and then said their goodbyes to the rest of the Order members.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thank you so much for reading!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Greetings Everyone! Anyways, thanks so much for reading and enjoying and leaving reviews. You guys are seriously all so frickin awesome.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione flooed into the Potter home right after Remus. Remus, who didn't move out of the way in time, was then pinned down by Hermione as she made her way through the floo network. Covering her mouth while she coughed, Hermione pulled herself off of Remus and rubbed her eyes. She took in the large living space, which looked extravagant and gothic.

"Woah," Hermione said under her breath. Hermione looked around at the high ceilings and the extravagant architecture. Remus nudged her ribs and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Don't expect this from my house," He warned a bit shyly and Hermione blushed. Remus could live in a shack and it wouldn't matter to her.

" _James Fleamont Potter!"_ A woman's voice rang from inside the kitchen. Hermione watched as James went frigid in front of her and Sirius snickered next to him. A tall woman with dark auburn hair walked into the room. Her eyebrows were shapely and arched into a disapproving frown. However, Hermione could tell that the woman was quite beautiful. She had large brown eyes, that although were intimidating at the moment, Hermione could tell they were usually friendly.

A man followed her into the room and completely shocked Hermione. This must have been Fleamont, and he was not was she had been expecting. In front of her stood an average sized man, with a friendly face and a balding hairline. A _balding_ hairline. Hermione couldn't help but giggle. _Maybe,_ Hermione thought, _his baldness was a reaction to extensive Sleekeazy potion use._

"When," The woman began as she crossed her arms and glared at her son, "did you plan on telling me that you joined the Order?" Euphemia finished. Hermione watched as James turned his body to face the four other students. He gave them a frantic look and Hermione couldn't help but cringe.

"I convinced them," Hermione cringed as the words poured out of her mouth. "They all believe in the cause, and they won't be doing any missions until we graduate. I convinced them to join." Hermione blurted out. James looked as if he could kiss Hermione, and Hermione paled. Remus reached for her hand comfortingly, and Sirius and Peter both grinned widely, obviously impressed with her sacrifice. She hadn't even formally met James' parents yet, and still she gave them plenty of ammunition to hate her. And they had even offered her a place in their home. Hermione felt lower than low.

James' father took a step towards his wife and put an arm around her. Euphemia leaned into the gesture quite naturally and Hermione pursed her lips as she stared down at her feet. She expected that she was about to be scolded, perhaps even kicked out of their home, when she heard a deep chuckle. Hermione glanced up and saw that Fleamont Potter was bent over, hands on his knees, and heavily chuckling.

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," Fleamont praised and Hermione flushed red at the compliment. "I don't believe we have formally met," He said as he extended an arm out to Hermione. "Fleamont Potter and my wife Euphemia." He shook Hermione's hand firmly, and Hermione couldn't help but beam.

"Hermione Granger," She introduced herself to James' parents.

"Dumbledore explained to us your situation," Euphemia explained in a much softer voice. "We're sorry about your family. It's a tragic thing to lose the ones you love." She spoke clearly and rhythmically. Hermione felt as though she was listening to a song.

"Thank you," Hermione genuinely said. "And thank you for letting me stay in your home, its lovely."

"You're seriously not mad?" James gawked from behind the three, and Hermione turned to face him. James' mouth was now open wide in curiosity, and his eyes were saucers.

"James," His mother began. "We don't like the idea of you being in danger. But this was bound to happen eventually." She shared a supportive look from her husband and continued. "To be frank dear, we're just glad you're fighting for our side, not theirs. Most of you are of age, there isn't anything I could do to stop it if I wanted too." James' mouth was still open wide and he shook his head in disbelief. Before his mother could change her mind, James planted a kiss on her cheek and hugged his father quickly, before shoving his friends up the stairs, and towards the end of the hall.

"Blimey, Hermione, if I knew my parents wouldn't be mad with you around, I would've asked you to move in a long time ago." James gasped and Hermione scowled.

"You didn't tell them about the Order!" She shouted at him as she threw a pillow acrossed the room at him. James ducked it easily and looked to Sirius for help.

"And you?" She turned to the other three boys. Sirius chuckled before answering.

"No, I haven't. But I bloody hell should, that'd piss them off even more, don't you think?" He smirked and Hermione rolled her eyes before shoving an arm into Sirius' chest and turning towards Peter.

"And you?" She raised a brow and crossed her arms. She could see Peter gulp, but slowly a smile rose on his face.

"What they don't know won't hurt them?" He tried and Hermione groaned as she stared at Peter.

"Remus, please tell me your parents know." Hermione threw her hands up in defeat as she turned to face her boyfriend, looking at him like he was her last hope. But Remus' face flushed pink and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Hermione, if any of our parents did know, they wouldn't let us join." Remus spoke softly, trying to calm Hermione down.

"You're fighting in a war! Don't you think your parents have the right to know that you're in danger?" Hermione nearly shouted at the four boys, her mother hen tendencies shining through. Sirius bit back the retort he was going to say, and James looked down sadly. Hermione's words were hypocritical though, she had been fighting in a war since she was fifteen, and her parents hardly knew anything about it. She had been sent back in time, to never see her family again, and her parents knew nothing of it. She, of all people, couldn't scold others for not telling their families everything. But maybe it was the fact that she didn't have parents to tell now that made this so important to her.

"But we aren't in danger! We're fine Hermione!" James grabbed Hermione by her shoulders to steady her, while staring her right in the eyes. "We're all okay."

"Stop that!" Hermione hissed at him as she hit his hand away. James backed up a few steps and sent Remus a questioning glance. Remus shrugged. "Stop acting like you're invincible! I know you're young, and you feel like you have the whole world in your hands, but this _is_ war! People are dying; this isn't something to be taken lightly!" Hermione stomped her foot down hard, and the boys remained silent. After a while, color returned to Hermione's face in a bright crimson shade. She hadn't wanted to make this such a big deal, but knowing the outcome of their future only made Hermione want to protect them more. James sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking towards Sirius to help. Sirius inhaled deeply, and then shook his head.

"Hermione…We know its war. We know people are dying. That's why we want to help. That's why we _need_ to help. When we joined the order, we weren't just joining some stupid club. We know we could die," He turned and waved a hand towards the other boys, who nodded along with him. "We knew that risk when we joined. But we have to try, we have to fight, you know that more than anyone." His words calmed Hermione down entirely. She fell tiredly onto the bed and sighed loudly.

"I'm just so tired of all of this." She said to no one in particular. She felt Remus' hand massage her scalp as he continued to run his fingers down through her hair calmingly. Hermione nuzzled her head into his hand, feeling more calm with his touch.

"I know what we need," Sirius announced as he walked over to the closet and opened up a drawer door. Hermione sat up and raised a brow as she watched Sirius move.

"Oh god." She heard Remus mutter as Sirius turned around and held numerous bottles of alcohol.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Sirius' shit-eating grin was what caused Remus to laugh as he held up the bottles of alcohol. Typical Padfoot behavior to think that alcohol could solve problems.

"Drinking won't solve my problems," Hermione said dryly as Sirius handed her a bottle of Firewhiskey. Remus chuckled as Sirius shot her a shocked look.

"No, it will not." Sirius said soundly. "But it will distract you from them." His words must have done something for her, because Hermione tilted her head then held the bottle up to her lips and took a large gulp.

It was quite obvious that Hermione was not experienced with Alcohol. She winced as the burning liquid seeped down her throat. Her eyes shot wide opened and her mouth contorted as she ripped the bottle away.

"That's awful!" She hissed out as she gasped for air. Sirius nearly doubled over in laughter at Hermione's reaction. James soon joined in, and then Peter as well. Remus watched as Hermione's face turned dark red as she looked around at the boys in embarrassment. Remus couldn't help but join in on the laughter as well.

"Its Firewhiskey," James said in between laughter. "It's not going to be pleasant."

The night ensued like this, after numerous drinking games, the five of them were pleasantly drunk. Happy and innocent, just how Sirius wanted it. Hermione was tracing letters on Remus back while James attempted to do a handstand, with Peter holding his feet up into the air.

"I've got an idea!" Sirius jumped off of the ground and staggered up a little less gracefully then he would've if he was sober.

"Hmm?" Peter hummed as he dropped James body to the ground, causing a loud thud.

"Never have I ever!" Sirius squealed as he shook a sleepy looking James awake.

"Padfoot, that's juvenile." Remus muttered into the pillow and Sirius groaned.

"Remus, Moony, friend, pal, mate, my dear werewolf companion; we are juveniles."

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

And with that, the group of them slowly made a circle on the bed, with the remaining alcohol in the middle of the circle.

"Alright, Hermione, you go first." James directed and Hermione's brow furrowed. She looked around the group, trying to think of something to say.

"Er…Never have I ever become an illegal animagus." She spoke loudly and the three Marauders drank.

Next it was James' turn. "Never have I ever….Kissed Moony." He offered. Hermione rolled her eyes as she took a drink of the Firewhiskey. However, her eyes shot open as she saw Sirius groan and take a large gulp. She quickly looked towards a sleepy looking Remus with wide eyes.

Sirius answered, "We were drunk Hermione, I'm not trying to steal your werewolf." He snorted at his own joke and Remus blushed profusely. Hermione's mouth turned up into a smirk and shook her head with laughter.

"I don't need to know the story," She told the boys, who thankfully nodded. It was Peter's turn next and he shrugged and looked around. Hermione watched as his round face was furrowed in frustration as he thought.

"Never have I ever…turned into a wolf once a month?" He raised an eyebrow at the group. James giggled and fell over while Sirius shook his head. Remus rolled his eyes and sighed loudly.

"Peter, obvi—"

"THE RULES, MOONY! FOLLOW THE RULES!" Sirius shouted loudly as he pointed a finger in the air intimidating Remus. Hermione watched as Remus jaw clicked and he glared at Sirius while he took a drink of the alcohol. It was Remus' turn next, and he stared directly at Sirius and smirked.

"Never have I ever….Turned into a mangy mutt." Remus finished as he handed the bottle directly to Sirius. Sirius complied easily and took a much larger gulp than needed.

"Moony…You forget...Alcohol does not affect me." Sirius pronounced the words a bit too clearly for someone who was sober. He maintained eye contact with Remus while he took another large sip causing the boys to scoff.

"Never have I ever…had fantasies about good ole' Minnie." Sirius finished as he smiled brightly at the four boys. Hermione noted that the obvious target of this was Remus, who flashed crimson and quickly took a drink. But what surprised Hermione, was that Peter paled and took a drink as well.

"You too Pete?" James gasped loudly, as he held a hand up to the side of his face in shock.

"It was one dream…" Peter muttered embarrassingly. "I had detention—"

"You?" Hermione interrupted and turned to Remus. "Professor McGonagall…Why?" Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"She….looks good for her age." Remus finished as he nervously ran a hand over his face and turned away from Hermione awkwardly.

"Wait! Tell me more!" Hermione giggled out a plea. Remus shook his head stubbornly and crossed his arms.

"No. Definitely not." Remus shook his head. Hermione whined as she leaned her head against him and Remus groaned. "I'm definitely not telling you."

"Are you never going to tell me, or are you just not going to tell me now?" Hermione wondered and Remus scoffed.

"I'm honestly hoping you won't remember this in the morning." He admitted to her and Hermione made a mental note to remember the topic in the morning.

As the night wore on, Peter was the first to fall asleep. He fell hard onto the ground and curled up into a ball. Hermione watched him with a frown, then grabbed a blanket off of the bed and laid it over him, giggling a bit as he mumbled in his sleep.

Remus was out next. He took up a spot on James' bed and spread out wide, snoring slightly. Hermione rolled her eyes at him as she turned to James and Sirius. She was about to say something to James, when she noticed he was asleep, leaning against the wall.

"That's kind of creepy." She noted as she tilted her head to exam James' odd sleeping position. Sirius shrugged and drank the rest of the Firewhiskey. Sirius scooted over closer to Hermione and sat down, leaning against the bed as well.

He sighed loudly and rubbed his eyes. "In your time," Sirius began, "the war was still going on" Sirius spoke aloud and Hermione nodded her head. "You were a part of the Order." Sirius said as he recalled some of the memories in the pensive.

"Yes, I was." Hermione agreed as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"And did your parents know?" He wondered and Hermione sighed. She didn't want to be on this topic again, but if he asked…

"No, they were muggles. They wouldn't have let me back to Hogwarts if they'd known half of the things that happened." Hermione admitted to Sirius, who chuckled.

"Tell me a story." He demanded.

"What kind of story?"

"A story from your own time." Sirius countered and Hermione sat up a bit straighter.

"Well, in our first year, Harry and Ron absolutely despised me." She began and Sirius smiled.

"Harry is James' son," Sirius remembered and Hermione nodded her head.

"And Ron is Arthur and Molly's boy." Hermione finished for him and Sirius nodded.

"I thought you three were inseparable?" He raised a brow and Hermione nodded her head.

"The three of us—always getting into trouble." Hermione smiled at the memory. "Always together."

"Did you get in as much trouble as us?" Sirius challenged as he looked over at his three sleeping friends.

Hermione shifted comfortably and nodded her head, "More, even."

"No way Hermione—Whats your middle name again?"

"Jean."

"No way Hermione Jean Granger got into more trouble than the four Marauders. Not bloody possible." Sirius raised a curious brow at Hermione, who only laughed.

"Well I never wanted to get into trouble; it sort of just found us." Hermione admitted.

"Prove it." Sirius challenged once again and Hermione sighed.

"In our first year, the three of us took on a fully grown mountain troll," Hermione gushed at the flush of memories that rushed to her.

"How?" Sirius sat up abruptly to face her, completely in shock.

"Long story, but an evil professor let it into the castle." Hermione said simply and Sirius cleared his throat.

"Well, in our first year, the four of us set Dumbledore's beard on fire," Sirius bragged and Hermione's jaw dropped.

"Sirius!" She gasped at the thought.

"He put it out quite easily, laughed afterwards even." Sirius recalled the memory with a sleepy smile. Hermione shook her head in laughter then sighed loudly. The two of them stayed like that for a moment, Hermione's head resting on Sirius's shoulder. It was peaceful and nice and it felt safe.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably and turned to face Hermione. Hermione raised a brow as Sirius stared at her. He reached his hand out towards her and Hermione remained frigid, confused at his motions. Sirius hand dipped towards her neck, and pulled the chain around her neck out of her shirt and held it closely to his face.

"You still wear it?" He mused as he ran the pendant he had given her through his fingers. Hermione blushed and sheepishly nodded her head.

"Yeah, it was a lovely gift." She remarked and Sirius nodded, his eyes still staring at the necklace. Hermione felt as though they remained in that position forever and she awkwardly cleared her throat. Sirius' head shot up and their faces were only inches apart. Hermione stared into his gray eyes and inhaled sharply as she stood up quickly, fumbling over herself as she struggled to get as far from Sirius as she could.

"I'm tired." Hermione said once she was standing at a safe distance from Sirius. He nodded sleepily and agreed. Hermione watched as Sirius grabbed a blanket and plopped down next to Peter, and immediately began to snore. She let out a breath of relief as she crawled up into bed next to Remus and snuggled up against his chest. Hermione felt Remus readjust himself as he threw an arm over her waist, and dragged her closer. She slowly fell asleep to the calming sounds of Remus' breath.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hm…..How did you like it? Please review and thanks so much for reading!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Greetings Everyone! I hope you like this chapter! I was rereading this fanfic and the beginning was so rough, so I just wanted to thank you guys for hanging in there and reading it all. You are seriously the best. I want to write either a Post War/ Veil Return Sirmione fic, or a Marriage law next. Which one would you prefer more? Let me know. Anyways like usual, please review and tell me what you think. I can't tell you enough on how much that just makes me want to update faster!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything HP related.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione woke up with Remus' arm tightly around her waist, his chest pressed firmly into her back, and his head nuzzled into her curls. Her first reaction was to wiggle in closer, loving being so close to Remus. As she wiggled closer to him, she felt a hardness press into her lower back and her eyes shot wide open. She attempted to pry Remus' arm off of her waist and slide away, and escape an embarrassing conversation, but it was useless. He was out cold and he was completely dead weight. She pried at his arm one last time, slowly she scooted farther and farther away from him, successfully making her escape, until Remus let out a loud sigh in his sleep. Hermione froze as Remus found Hermione again and dragged her back over to him, snuggling up against her once more. Hermione attempted to hold back her giggle as he squeezed her tightly and nuzzled his head back into her neck. Hermione froze as she heard a sharp inhale and then a low growl.

 _Was he smelling her?_ Hermione's eyes went wide once more as Remus threw a leg sleepily over her waist and held her tightly. She felt the familiar hardness pressed into the side of her, and she groaned inwardly. She lay like that for a few minutes as she watched the sun rise higher into the sky. She had no idea what time it was, but judging by the sky, it was probably still early in the morning. Remus instinctively grinded his hips against her and Hermione panicked. She awkwardly cleared her throat, hoping that it was loud enough to wake Remus up, but quite enough to let the remaining boys sleep.

The first indication that Remus had woken up was the hitch in his breathing. Hermione listened for an exhale but one never came. She slowly turned her head to face Remus. His eyes were wide but sleepy and his face was pale. Hermione lifted a brow and he quickly recollected his thoughts. He shoved Hermione away quickly and threw himself across the bed and scrambled onto the floor, landing directly on a squealing Peter.

"Moony!" Peter gasped from underneath his friend as he stuck his hand out to shove him off. Hermione cringed and slapped a hand over her face in embarrassment. She hadn't wanted to wake _everyone_ up. She leaned over the bed and saw a mortified Remus lying on the ground, a pillow shoved in his face.

"What happened?!" James jolted awake and Hermione cringed.

"Remus fell on me!" Peter groaned as he sat up, his hair pointing in every direction. From across the room, Sirius groaned very loudly and shoved a pillow over his ears. The sound of Sirius groaning brought memories of late last night into Hermione's head. She didn't think she still had feelings for Sirius, she _was_ with Remus now. And she was happy and she loved him. But there was something different about Sirius. Hermione wasn't sure if it was because he was her first serious boyfriend, or that there was actually more there. Hermione was just silently thankful she decided to go to sleep when she did. She never thought she'd do anything to risk her relationship with Remus, but she just wanted to be careful.

"If you don't shut up now, I'm going to curse you Peter." Sirius warned. James chuckled from where he stood and put his hands on his hips.

"Does the little baby have a hangover?" James said in a mock baby voice that made Hermione cringe and Sirius groan.

"Prongs, I swear." Sirius warned and it only sent James into hysterics.

"Alright, I bet the house-elves have breakfast ready so let's go eat. I'm absolutely starved." James smirked as he walked out of the room, followed by Peter and a groaning Sirius. Hermione remained sitting on the bed as Remus laid on the ground, pillow still covering his face.

"Remus," Hermione called, "Let's go get breakfast." She told him as she walked over and knelt down on the ground near her. Remus slowly pealed the pillow off of his face and groaned loudly.

"Hermione, I'm beyond sorry. I cannot even begin to explain to you—"

Hermione interrupted Remus with a kiss. With one hand on his cheek, and the other supporting her weight she sat back up reluctantly and sighed. "Remus, its fine." She told her boyfriend and he nodded sheepishly. Hermione couldn't help but smirk. "Although...I wasn't aware that you loved to snuggle that much, Remus." Hermione giggled as Remus sat up and paled a bit more.

"Oh Merlin, Remus absolutely LOVES to cuddle!" Sirius shouted from the doorway and Remus face palmed himself, causing Hermione to laugh even more.

"Remus," Hermione said as she poked him in the chest, "I want to hear about that fantasy with Professor McGonagall." Hermione reminded him, causing the werewolf to cringe.

"You remembered," He noted as he rubbed his head and Hermione nodded eagerly.

"And I remembered the little bit about the two of you kissing," Hermione motioned from Sirius to Remus and smirked. "And I think I want to know that story as well," She decided and both of the boys laughed nervously.

Breakfast at the Potter household was an extravagant event. Pillars of food were sat upon the long elegant dining table. Fleamont Potter sat at one end, while his wife sat at the other. The two were quite a pair, smirking at one another every so often. Hermione found it very endearing.

"Peter and Remus, you'll be flooing back to your parents houses then?" Euphemia asked from her side of the table. Peter nodded his head, as his mouth was full of food and Remus cleared his throat and politely answered.

"Oh, Hermione dear," Euphemia said waving her hand in the air absentmindedly before pulling out her wand and flicking it towards the other side of the room. A letter zoomed quickly across the room and landed in front of Hermione. She looked up at James' mother with a raised brow. "Dumbledore's back from his mission, you're due to return to Hogwarts after breakfast." She explained to Hermione, who couldn't help but frown slightly. She hadn't expected Dumbledore to return this early, so whatever his mission had been it had probably been unsuccessful.

"Oh, I didn't expect him to be back so soon." Hermione admitted a bit awkwardly as she took a drink of her orange juice and read the letter.

"You're leaving so soon?" Sirius' sleepy eyes went wide and Hermione shrugged.

"I guess," Hermione spoke a bit distantly. Spending time with her friends was beginning to be too good; she didn't want to leave so suddenly. Next to her, Remus must have understood her feelings, because after a moment he spoke up.

"In a week you'll be visiting me and all the boys too. A week isn't long at all." Remus said with a forced smile. Hermione could tell that she wasn't the only one upset about her leaving to go to Hogwarts so soon.

Once breakfast ended, Hermione said her goodbyes, and stepped into the fireplace, she suddenly realized this was probably what Harry felt every summer. He had to go back to the Dursley's, people that absolutely despised him. Hermione waved goodbye before uttering Dumbledore's office into the fireplace and disappearing.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

"She seemed upset," James' father noted after Hermione disappeared in the fireplace. The group nodded their heads and shrugged.

"She's all by herself, I'd be upset too." Euphemia sighed deeply and rubbed her eyes. "I'd offer her a place here for the summer, but Dumbledore wants to keep her in close proximities." James' mother admitted and Remus raised an eyebrow before sharing a look with Sirius from across the room.

"Close proximities?" James wondered. Remus gulped. He knew why Dumbledore had wanted to keep Hermione close, but he wasn't sure anyone else but Sirius knew.

"Dumbledore didn't go into extent, but it's obvious that he fears for the girl. Poor thing, with all she's been through. Dumbledore said he got her a job at the Three Broomsticks so that he could keep an eye on her. Voldemort killed her family, did you know?" Euphemia asked her husband who shook his head. "I reckon Dumbledore thinks he probably wants to finish her off." She finished with a sad sigh. Remus recognized the lie, and from the look that Sirius wore, he did as well.

"She never really talks about her family," James recalled and Peter nodded as well.

"I'd assume it's easier to not," Fleamont said and his wife nodded. "Are you sure there's nothing we can do for her?" He asked his wife who shrugged.

"She can stay here!" James said eagerly. "Talk to Dumbledore, she'd be safe here. Safer even, I bet!" He said excitedly and Remus heart beat fast at the sudden offer. "Please just try and talk to Dumbledore."

"I can try," Euphemia looked at her husband who smirked and nodded his head. "So she's your girlfriend, Remus?" she turned her attention to the werewolf who awkwardly nodded.

"Yeah, she is."

"She seems like a very nice girl. Do you think she'd appreciate staying here?" Euphemia raised an eyebrow and Remus choked out a laugh.

"I think she'd absolutely love it." He countered and James parents nodded their heads and shared a quick smirk.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione appeared in Dumbledore's fireplace and was greeted by a white ball of fur pouncing on her. Hermione fell backwards at the sudden attack and soon found Khons purring loudly in her face. She picked up the cat and stood up, whipping off the dust from her clothing. She stepped out of the fireplace and saw Dumbledore writing something down quickly at his desk. He didn't even bother to look up, before addressing her.

"Your little friend missed you terribly." Dumbledore noted. "What have you decided to call him?"

"Khons," Hermione told the professor as she walked over to the seat across from him and sat down. "It means Egyptian moon god." She explained a bit dumbly.

"Very unique," Dumbledore responded as he put his quill down and looked up at her. Hermione felt a bit awkward and cleared her throat.

"I'm guessing that the mission didn't go very successfully?" Hermione wondered and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled down at her.

"Au contraire, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore spoke softly. "I've discovered yet another Horcrux."

"And you haven't destroyed this one either?" Hermione raised a brow and Dumbledore nodded.

"As we discussed in our last meeting, I find it best we wait until the time is right." The old wizard responded. Hermione gently stroked the cat in her arms and sighed loudly.

"What was this Horcrux?" Hermione wondered, "If I may ask?"

"Helga Hufflepuff's cup," Dumbledore explained and Hermione blinked, baffled at his words.

"Was it here in Hogwarts?" Hermione wondered for a moment, before Dumbledore shook his head.

"Not here in Hogwarts, I'm afraid I had to travel for this one." Dumbledore began and Hermione nodded her head. "Severus is growing fast in Voldemort's ranks. He is believed to be a trusted spy amongst us. I would even dare say that Voldemort is growing a bit fond of Severus, but that may be stretching the truth. I'm not sure that Voldemort can even feel fondness."

"Because he was conceived under a love potion," Hermione added hastily and Dumbledore nodded.

"Exactly," Dumbledore praised and Hermione eagerly nodded, sitting at the edge of the chair.

"How did you get the Horcrux?" Hermione pressed.

"Severus has been quite useful, and it seems as though another young Death Eater has joined our ranks." Dumbledore nodded knowingly and Hermione leaned in closer on her chair.

"Who?" She questioned eagerly and Dumbledore held a bony hand in the air, motioning her to wait.

"It's best that he remains a secret, for his safety and yours." Dumbledore explained to the girl, who stiffly nodded her head, obviously slightly annoyed. Names floated through Hermione's head, although none of them seemed like they'd be willing to switch sides and be a spy.

"So you won't even tell me how you came across the Horcrux?" Hermione raised a brow and Dumbledore nodded his head.

"Actually, Ms. Granger that I will do. You see, the young former Death Eater who joined our ranks and Mr. Snape on my orders, switched the Horcrux out with a fake." Dumbledore exclaimed.

"And Voldemort didn't notice?" Hermione wondered in a hushed voice, amazed by such obvious foolery.

"He hasn't yet," Dumbledore responded quietly and Hermione's heart dropped.

"If he does…He'll kill them." Hermione said more to herself than to Dumbledore. "They know of the risks?" She couldn't help but ask.

"They all but begged me to be of service. It seems that Voldemort's views are stronger and more eradicate than what most thought they were in the beginning of the war." Dumbledore explained to her softly. It still didn't sit right with Hermione.

"So we have Severus to thank for at least two of the horcruxes?" Hermione said and Dumbledore nodded.

"He is an exceptionally bright boy who made the wrong choices." Dumbledore said a bit sadly.

"But without his wrong choices we wouldn't have two Horcruxes hidden away," Hermione challenged the old man, who only nodded.

"There is nothing we can do about the past now Ms. Granger, I think its best that we use it to our advantage the best we can." Dumbledore raised a brow at Hermione, who nodded anyways. She found the statement ridiculously hypocritical because here she _was_ , changing the past. "Ms. Granger, there is one more thing." Dumbledore told her as Hermione began to stand up.

"Yes?"

"Be careful, we have a patrol from the Order around Hogsmeade, but the Death Eaters are getting more anxious. They're taking more risks. It would do well to remain in the castle." Dumbledore explained softly and Hermione bit her tongue and nodded. The castle was beginning to act more like a prison than the comfortable home she was used to.

"Of course, sir." Hermione said tightly as she walked out of the office.

 _ **Remus POV**_

Remus flooed home later that afternoon. His mother squealed when she saw him and wrapped him into a large hug.

"I was gone for a night," Remus smiled as Hope kissed one cheek, then the other.

"You were gone nine months at school, and then you were gone for a night." She corrected as she pinched a cheek. Remus smiled awkwardly as he took his bags upstairs to his bedroom. Once he was there he fell onto his bed and looked up at his ceiling. The longing feeling of when he wasn't close to Hermione returned shortly after she had left.

He sighed loudly as he thought about the recent events that had taken place. Remus thought back to the night before. He passed out soundly pretty early into the night, and he vaguely remembered waking up when Hermione crawled into bed with him. He cringed when she brought it up earlier in the day. She had teased him about his need to cuddle with her but he couldn't bear to tell her the truth as to _why_ he had done it.

He could smell _Sirius_ on her. Not in the way he had smelled Sirius on her after they were—er, intimate. But he could smell him on her nonetheless. His sent was draped over her neck and shoulders, making the wolf scream out in a possessive howl. Remus hadn't been completely aware of what he was doing of course, but he was sure his wolf subconscious was staking a claim. The urge to claim her was becoming more and more apparent. Remus pushed the thoughts to the back of his brain.

The thought made him sick. He didn't like being more animal than human, he didn't like thinking he didn't have control over his actions or over what he thought. It was pure instinct; instinct that he purely hated.

~Until Next Time~

 **A shorter chapter, I know. It was a kind of transitional one that needed to happen though. Thanks for reading, anyways, hope your guys' lives are going well, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**


	36. Chapter 36

**Greetings Everyone! Please review this chapter, and I hope you like it! I just got a HUGE muse for another fanfic, so I'm pretty excited to show you guys that one…Anyways, tell me what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter world.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

It was easy to say that Hermione spent most of her time in the Room of Requirement. Most of the time it transformed itself into her childhood bedroom, but it also changed into another library, seeing as Hermione had read most of the books in the Hogwarts Library. The room had even turned into a wide vast field, letting Hermione taste the outdoors without the risks. However, it was never quite the same. The smells were different and the sky glittered unnaturally, shattering Hermione's dreams.

Today however, Hermione grumbled up the stairs to the Room of Requirement, with Khons right on her trail. She stood in front of the door and closed her eyes for a single moment, a technique she was an expert in. Hermione opened her eyes and before her was a small door, one she was not familiar with. She glanced down at Khons, who purred a reply and padded towards the door. She smiled as she followed that cat and slowly turned the door knob.

The room was large and tall, and the first thing Hermione noticed was the amount of things that were in the room. Piles and piles of books stacked nearly ten times the size of Hermione lined the walls. Broken chairs and tables were haphazardly thrown into random piles that were nearly as high as the books. The smell of the room was musty and old, obviously apparent that no one had been in here for a long time. Broken Potion bottles laid limply on the ground, causing Hermione to cringe when Khons sprinted out in front of her and ran down the small path disappearing into the piles of clutter. Hermione groaned loudly as she looked around. And odd feeling plagued her, and she desperately desired to be gone.

"Khons!" Hermione hissed at her cat. "Come here!" She stomped her foot down impatiently. The room was definitely giving her a bad feeling. Eventually, the cat made its way towards her, walking slowly with a small mouse hanging from its mouth. Hermione cringed at the sight and made her way out of the door with the cat following her closely. Hermione shut the door to the room and leaned against it, her heart beating fast. She wasn't sure what was drawing her to the room, but she had a hunch that it wasn't anything good.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus was marking down the days till Hermione was to visit him. It had felt like it had been forever since he had last seen her, but soon enough she was to be coming the next day and he was ecstatic to see her. His mother frantically ran around the house cleaning it the muggle way, seeing as Remus' father was at work, and Remus was still underage. The Lupin household hardly saw any guests since Remus was bitten. It was a miracle that they had lived in this specific home for nearly seven years. After Remus was bit, to avoid the obvious detection of his lycanthropy, the Lupin family moved from home to home often. That pattern eventually stopped once Remus started school at Hogwarts. Being gone from your home nine months out of the year took away a lot of the suspicions your neighbors may have. It also helped that there wasn't anyone that lived within five miles of the Lupins. Seclusion and secrecy were necessary for someone with lycanthropy. To even think about living a semi-normal life with lycanthropy was unrealistic, and it always sent Remus on edge.

He paced around his small kitchen, and then paced around in his small living room. He dragged himself up his small steps and into his small bedroom. He moved around the small hallway and then back down his small steps before residing in his small living room. It was all so… _small._ Hope must have realized something was wrong, because she stopped cleaning and walked into the living room, with her hands on her hip she raised an eyebrow.

"What?" Remus dryly asked and Hope let out a laugh before she rolled her eyes.

"Care to share why you are moping around the house?" She cocked her hip out and crossed her arms.

"I'm not." Remus lied and his mother let out another dry laugh before she through the dish towel at Remus. It hit his chest and slowly fell to the floor. Remus sighed and picked it up.

"Spill it, Remus." His mother pressed and he shrugged. "Remus, you're just like you're father, its okay to show a bit of _emotion_ every once in a while." She emphasized as she sat down next to him. The truth was that Remus didn't like showing any more emotion than necessary. He already felt like a burden enough, he didn't want anyone to have to pitty him for other things as well.

"James' house is large and extravagant and amazing. He lives in a bloody mansion for Merlin's sake," Remus shook his head as he threw up his arms in defeat. He rubbed his temple and his mother gave him a knowingly sigh. "We—we live here." Remus gestured his hands around the house.

His house wasn't anything to be ashamed of. He was actually quite fond of it in his own way. It was small and cozy, but it always felt like a home. In fact, the only part of the house Remus particularly _didn't_ like was the basement, and that was due to the numerous full moon's spent down there.

"And you don't think she'll like it here?" Hope raised an eyebrow and Remus nodded his head slowly.

"I'm afraid she'll hate it here." Remus confessed, still not making up eye contact. He felt his mother place a reassuring hand on his back and she squeezed him tightly.

"Remus, do you like this girl?" Hope asked.

"I love her," Remus responded instantly and he felt his mother go rigid next to him. He turned to look at her finally and Hope gave him a tight smile and nodded. His mother tried to hide the shock in her face, but it was pointless. Her tight smile faded into a softer one and she planted a kiss on her son's cheek before pulling away and smiling up at him.

"Remus, if she's as wonderful as what you say, you could be homeless and she wouldn't think any less of you." Hope said after a moment, and Remus nodded his head slowly. "And if I'm being completely honest, they don't deserve you if they are the slightest bit ashamed of you." Hope added as she pulled her son into a hug.

Remus shook his head and smirked, "You'll love her; I know you will." Remus said finally as he planted a kiss on his mother's forehead.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione had all of her bags packed for Remus a complete thirty-six hours ahead of time; she really had nothing else to do. Dumbledore had situated a plan for Hermione to leave only just that morning. Hermione was to be escorted from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley by an Order member, and then she'd meet with Remus.

Hermione was beyond nervous. She had bitten down on her bottom lip raw, and she paced all throughout the castle. Relieved when it was finally time to go, she quickly walked up to Dumbledore's office and hissed the password to the Gargoyle before heading up the stairs.

She heard the chattering before she reached the door.

"Ah, Ms. Granger." Dumbledore greeted the girl with arms wide open, beckoning her to step further into his office. Hermione noticed the two Prewett twins lounging in both the chairs. Fabian noticed her first and gave her a friendly smile, Gideon followed suit soon after.

"Mr. and Mr. Prewett here will be escorting you to Diagon Alley. I think you should see them quite fit for the job." Dumbledore explained to Hermione, who only nodded. "Please be safe Ms. Granger, I'm due to expect you back in a week?" Dumbledore clarified and Hermione nodded.

"Goodbye," Hermione awkwardly told the old wizard, who merely smiled at her.

"We'll take good care of her," Fabian grinned as he put an arm around Hermione's shoulders. Gideon followed suit and lead her out the door. Once the door to Dumbledore's office was shut, Hermione cleared her throat.

"Do you two always travel in a pair?" Hermione asked dryly as she raised an eyebrow.

"Yes," both of the twins said at once, causing the three of them to burst into giggles.

"What have you done to get yourself locked up in here?" Gideon questioned.

"I heard a rumor that you like to pick fights with certain Death Eaters?" Fabian smirked as he raised an eyebrow. Hermione rolled her eyes and stared at both twins. Now that she got an actual look at them, they didn't look as much like the Weasley twins as she had originally thought. They were both a bit leaner than Fred and George had ever been. Their hair was more reddish brown than orange, and they lacked the galaxy of freckles that had plagued the Weasley twins.

"I _do not_ pick fights with Death Eaters!" Hermione hissed at the twins as they walked down the castle corridors. "Death Eaters pick fights with _me_!"

"Always the victim," Gideon sighed dramatically causing Hermione to scoff.

"It doesn't matter if you pick fights with them anyways," Fabian said and Hermione raised a brow.

"Yeah, we heard you could hold your own quite well." Gideon grinned and Hermione blushed, wondering who told her about the duels.

"I manage," She retorted quickly, causing both the twins to laugh. The rest of the way carried on like this; friendly conversation and numerous jokes.

"Where are we going from Hogsmeade?" Hermione wondered, she had heard the basis of the plan, but she didn't know the details. Hermione enjoyed the sunlight that poured onto her skin; it had been too long since she had felt its warmth.

"Apparating to Diagon Alley," Fabian announced as they walked into the nearly deserted village. The twins must have noticed Hermione's face pale, because they shared a glance and chuckled.

"I take it Dumbledore didn't tell you?" Gideon smirked.

"And I take it you don't like to apparate?" Fabian finished with an equally as mischievous smirk.

"You'd be correct," Hermione choked out faintly, trying to hide the deepening nauseating feeling that grew deep within her. The twins shrugged and Fabian stepped closer to her.

"Ready?" Fabian grinned as he held out an arm to Hermione. She reluctantly took it and sighed.

"Meet you there," Gideon grinned and then with a loud snapping sound, he disappeared. Hermione was about to say something to Fabian, when she felt a familiar tug on her stomach, and then tightly closed her eyes.

When she opened them, she was definitely in Diagon Alley. It was great being out in public. Dumbledore had been a bit stricter in the past week, and she hardly was able to leave the castle. It killed her to not socialize with others and be locked up in the castle. She had no idea what it would have been like to be Sirius, locked up in Azkaban for twelve years, then forced to be imprisoned in your own home for the last few years of your life. It wasn't much different than in her own time, a few stores were different and the structure of the shops were a little off, but other than that it was exactly how she remembered it. She could feel her stomach do flips as she took in the world around her. Fabian and Gideon were talking next to her, but Hermione wasn't listening, only desperately trying to not vomit.

"Hermione!" A familiar voice snapped Hermione's attention away from herself as her head lifted up quickly. Remus was waving at her frantically, a wide grin spread across his face. He sprinted up to her and wrapped both of his arms around her tightly, lifting her up and twirling her around. Hermione struggled against his chest as she felt a sudden upheaval. Remus didn't get the hint until it was too late, because as soon as he let go, Hermione retched forward and vomited. All over Remus shoes.

"Oi, I'll get that!" Gideon announced as he flicked his wand down at Remus' feet and muttered, "scourgify."

"Thanks," Remus replied politely and Gideon nodded his head happily. Hermione cringed as she looked up at Remus, embarrassment embedded in her face. He smirked at her then let out a chuckle.

"Not the most romantic reunion, but I'm glad you're here." He said thoughtfully, causing Hermione too blush. "Are you feeling alright?" He added a bit hastily, checking over Hermione a bit more protectively this time, causing the twins to laugh.

"I'm fine, not very used to apparating is all." She explained quickly, sharing a glance with Fabian. On her words, Remus pulled Hermione into a tight hug and kissed her forehead, holding her tight into his chest for a few moments. When she was with Remus, she was at home. It was different with him; it was like she had a familiarity with him. Something in this time that was rare. Remus was a constant; he had always been there for here.

"I've missed you." He admitted and Hermione giggled into his chest.

"I missed you as well," She laughed and he kissed her forehead again.

"Er—That'll be our cue, Fabian." Gideon smiled at the happy couple and elbowed his brother in the ribs. Fabian rolled his eyes at his brother, but slapped a hand on Remus' back and patted it.

"Make sure to write and owl to the Order when you get back to your house safely," Fabian warned a bit seriously and Hermione nodded her head.

"We will," Remus answered for her. The two parted with the twins and continued their way further down Diagon Alley.

"I'm surprised Dumbledore let me travel alone with you, he's becoming a bit stricter." Hermione noted as they passed a few familiar shops.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the Order was trailing us. It'd make sense, wouldn't you think?" Remus questioned and Hermione frowned. She didn't like the idea of being followed, even if it was by the Order. The urge to tell Remus about the upcoming Horcrux news rose in Hermione's throat, but she held back. That was a topic to be spoken in complete privacy, not in the middle of Diagon Alley. Hermione muttered an answer as Remus made his way through the crowd toward the Leaky Cauldron.

"Are we flooing from the Leaky Cauldron?" Hermione raised a brow as entered the dingy inn.

"Yes, you don't mind, do you?" He asked hastily and Hermione shook her head.

"I'm just wondering as to why I didn't floo directly from Dumbledore's office," Hermione frowned and Remus blushed.

"I sort of figured you could use some time in the world, after being trapped inside Hogwarts." He shrugged and Hermione jumped at him and wrapped her arms around him tightly, squeezing as if she'd never let go.

"So you got me out of the castle?" She raised a brow.

"I may have mentioned that it would easier to track you if you were to floo directly from Dumbledore's office." Remus shrugged with a smile. Hermione stared at him in awe.

Remus grinned and handed her the address and nudged her into the fireplace.

"You want me to go first?" She quirked a brow at Remus, who sheepishly nodded his head.

"I don't want to leave you here alone," He admitted and Hermione rolled her eyes as she cleared her throat and spoke the address.

The Lupin house was much different than the Potter Manor. The first thing Hermione noticed was the cozy appeal, it was comforting and warm.

 _Much like Remus,_ Hermione thought happily as she smiled at the small living area. She looked around and saw small steps of stairs towards the right of her and a kitchen that was just beyond a wall in front of her. She heard cluttering in the kitchen, and a woman humming. Remus entering the room brought her attention back to him, and she grinned widely.

"What?" He asked a bit hesitantly, and Hermione shrugged biting her lip in a weak attempt to keep herself from smiling like an idiot.

"Remus, is that you?" A woman's voice called from the kitchen area and Hermione froze. With her eyes wide and her mouth slightly opened she turned to Remus frantically.

"What if she hates me?" Hermione hissed quietly as she looked over her shoulder towards the kitchen.

"She won't," Remus said in a casual tone, causing Hermione to inhale sharply at him. She grasped him by his elbow and squeezed it tightly, purely out of nerves.

"But what if she _does_!" Hermione hissed again, but Remus' attention wasn't on Hermione anymore.

"Ah, mum—this is Hermione," Remus said brightly as he motioned between the two women. Hermione turned towards Hope Lupin slowly, a nervous smile was planted on her face.

"Hello, Mrs. Lupin. Pleasure to meet you," Hermione's voice shook as she stuck out a hand anxiously. Hope Lupin was a short woman who had the same friendly smile as Remus. Her eyes were a soft brown and her hair was pulled back into a bun on the top of her head. She reached out her arm and smiled tightly at Hermione.

"Just Hope, dear." She told Hermione, who blushed. "And it's very nice to meet you as well; Remus hasn't shut up about you since he got back from school." Hope snorted a laugh and put her hands on her hip.

"Mum—," Remus warned and all of Hermione's anxiety faded as Remus blushed.

"Please go on," Hermione pressed as she followed Hope into the kitchen. Remus trailed after the two women, his face paling.

" _The brightest witch I've ever met!_ " Hope said in a deep voice, mocking her son. Hermione doubled over in laughter as she raised an eyebrow at Remus, who blushed and shrugged sheepishly. "Remus said that you're related to er—muggles?" Hope raised a brow at Hermione. "I'm a muggle you see," She added hastily to Hermione.

It annoyed Hermione to not be able to tell the truth, it would be nice to relate to someone. She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded, deciding to go along with the lie she had created. "Yes, my father was a muggle, and my mother a witch." Hermione said, quickly glancing at Remus, who softly nodded his head.

"I heard what happened to your family, Hermione. I'm terribly sorry," Hope exclaimed quickly as she beckoned Hermione over to her and pulled the girl into a comforting hug. Hermione melted into the woman. It had been a long time since she had felt the nurturing touch of a mother. She willed the tears in her eyes to disappear before Hope pulled away from the hug.

~Until Next Time~

 **Please review and thank you for reading!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Greetings Everyone! Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, for some reason it was really fighting with me, but I'm glad I got it out there!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns everything in the Harry Potter universe, I unfortunately do not.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"You were in Remus' house then, Hermione?" Hope asked as she poured Hermione a cup of tea. "At Hogwarts?" Hermione took it and thanked the woman while she nodded her head.

"Yes," she replied as she took a sip.

"I wouldn't know, but from what Remus says, Gryffindor is one of the best." Hope said as she looked to her son for clarification. Remus nodded his head at his mother with an endearing smile that Hermione adored.

"The best," Remus corrected his mother, who rolled her eyes.

"It's wonderful; Remus and his friends welcomed me like family." Hermione said as she remembered her first few days of Hogwarts. They had been painfully awkward and lonely, but everyone had been wonderful…For the most part.

"Remus' friends," Hope snorted and shook her head. "Those boys are quite the bunch. They turned my quiet Remus into quite the trouble maker." Hope said as she leaned over and pinched one of Remus' cheeks. Remus cringed next to her and shook his head.

"Mum, they did not." Remus shifted himself in his seat and squinted at his mother, causing Hermione to burst into giggles.

"They are all very nice boys, please don't get me wrong," Hope began speaking to Hermione again, "They just like to cause some mischief."

"I agree." Hermione smiled at Hope and Remus groaned from across the table. They heard a loud popping noise in the living room, and Hope quickly stood up.

"That would be your father, Remus." She told them. Hermione shot Remus a frantic look, silently telling him her worries. Remus nodded his head and walked over to her.

"He'll love you," Remus promised and Hermione's brow furrowed in objection. "Mum already does, and she's the hard one to win over." Remus explained quietly as they made their way out into the living room. "Trust me, please." Remus pleaded and Hermione gulped, but nodded anyways.

Hope Lupin was standing in front of her husband placing numerous kisses all over his face. He was a tall man, probably around the same height as Remus, and had the same color hair. However his face looked friendly and was full of color, something Remus' usually lacked. Lyall's face lacked the scars that were spread out across on Remus face as well, but they adorned similar features. After Lyall was done greeting his wife, he turned and looked at the two teens.

"Ah, this must be Hermione?" He spoke, and Hermione nodded her head eagerly, glancing every few seconds at an anxious looking Remus.

"Yes, Hermione, this is my dad." Remus said, gesturing to his father. Hermione quickly stuck out her hand and smiled. "And dad, this is Hermione."

"Please, call me Lyall." He said and Hermione nodded her head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Hermione beamed as Lyall gingerly agreed.

"I hope that Hope hasn't been pestering you too much since you've arrived. It's not often Remus brings a girl around here." Lyall smiled and Hermione felt Remus next to her stiffen.

"Dad!" Remus began, his eyes as wide as saucers he turned to his dad with his mouth agape.

"I'm only joking, Remus!" Lyall laughed haughtily and turned to Hermione. "He said you were a Gryffindor as well?" He wondered and Hermione nodded her head.

"Wonderful!" Lyall cried and Hermione shared a glance with Remus.

"Why are you home so early, dear?" Hope wondered as she led the group back into the kitchen.

"Durkins gave me the rest of the day off, we had that early meeting this morning; discussed plenty of topics on the welfare of Giants. Quite a productive day." Lyall said as he flicked his wand around and made himself a cup of tea.

"Durkins, he seems like a good man." Hope said thoughtfully and Lyall nodded his head and took a large sip of tea.

After visiting with Remus' parents for a short while, Remus decided it was time to drag Hermione away. Remus led Hermione down a winding path that lead behind his house. He said he had something important to show her, but she was certain he had made that up so that he could steal her away for some private time. Hermione didn't mind; she missed Remus.

The path crossed through a wide field, and then through a small patch of woods. A small structure came into view as they walked closer to the trees. Hermione craned her neck and squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look at it.

"It's a tree house," Remus explained as he noticed her interest. "I made it when I was twelve I think, I haven't been inside it in years." He noted as they continued walking in the direction of the fort. "I'm surprised it's held up so well," Remus mused at it came more into view.

It was obvious that a twelve year old boy had constructed the tree house. It had a make shift latter that Hermione was certain was not completely safe. It stood only about six feet in the air, clinging to an aging tree. Hermione gave it a suspicious glance, which caused Remus to laugh.

"It's safe, I promise." He reassured her as he put one hand on the latter, swinging one foot up. Hermione winced loudly as the latter made a loud creaking noise. "My dad charmed it," Remus explained as he climbed up the latter. "It looks awful, but I swear it's safe." He said. When he reached the top; he used his upper body strength to swing himself in effortlessly. Remus' head popped out at the top and he looked down at Hermione with a frown.

"Will you be joining me?" He grinned and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Can it even hold two people?" Hermione cocked her hip and crossed her arms, a smile growing on her face as Remus' brows furrowed. "Alright, I'm coming." Hermione huffed as she reached onto the latter. She slowly propelled herself, inching her way up the latter carefully and cautiously.

"Do you plan on getting up here this week?" Remus teased from the top and Hermione let out a breathy laugh. "Perhaps this month? Year? Century?" Remus laughed loudly and Hermione huffed again.

"Remus!" Hermione attempted to hiss, but it came out as a gasp. "I am scared of heights!" She exclaimed as she continued moving upwards.

"You're three feet in the air." Remus said dryly with a smirk and Hermione snorted.

"And you're a git." She retorted back.

"I'm your git." Remus said as he backed away from the entrance, and Hermione slowly pushed herself in. She shimmied her way onto the floor, then quickly propped herself on her knees and stood up, brushing the dust off her legs.

"Yes," She said as she stood on her tip toes, one hand grasping Remus' chin, "you are mine." She said as she planted a kiss on Remus' lips, and quickly pulled away, leaving a frowning Remus behind. Hermione walked around the small tree house. There were old boxes piled up in the corner, and an old blanket on the other side. Hermione peered into one of the boxes and let out a loud snort.

"What?" Remus asked nervously from behind her, peering over her shoulder anxiously. Hermione stabbed her hand into the box quickly and pulled out an old magazine, obviously the object of her affection.

"Now Remus," Hermione said in a mock professional voice, "Why on earth, would you have a _Naughty Witches_ magazine?" Hermione dangled the magazine in front of Remus, whose eyes were wide and whose face was bright red. Hermione glanced over the magazine as well, and saw a busty blonde woman on the cover, who seemed to be wearing very little clothes, and who also seemed to have a secret of some sort. Hermione was thankful that _this_ picture didn't move, she wasn't sure what the witch would do.

Remus, who was obviously horrified by the sudden appearance of the magazine, began sputtering like an idiot. "Not mine..." He quickly lied as he attempted to reach for the magazine, but was unsuccessful as Hermione quickly moved it away from his grasp.

"Hmm…Should we look at the other pages?" Hermione teased as she began looking through the magazine.

"Hermione," Remus warned in a low voice, which caused Hermione to giggle even more. He launched himself towards her, but Hermione easily moved out of the way, flipping through the next page.

"Yes, I think we should." Hermione replied as she continued looking through the magazine.

"Give me it." Remus demanded and Hermione snorted as she turned the magazine sideways and narrowed her eyes at hit, a hint of mischief plagued her face.

"Wow Remus, I never took you for someone who was interested in _Busty Blondes_!" Hermione exclaimed as she showed him a picture of three, er— _busty blondes_ who were all standing in provocative positions. Hermione could see Remus' jaw clench which sent her into another fit of giggles.

"Give me the magazine," Remus ordered as he stuck his hand out. Hermione, who was never one to take orders, simply ignored the request and continued flipping through the magazine. She was having too much fun with this; she also thought a flustered Remus was cute.

"No, I don't think I will." She pursed lips and flipped another page.

Hermione could hear the low growl in Remus' throat and she dared a glance up at him. Remus launched himself at her again, but this time Hermione wasn't ready, and stumbled into the wall. Her back pressed hard against the shifty tree house and Remus standing dangerously close. Hermione let out an instinctive gasp as she noticed the short distance between them, and a small smile curled up on her face. The magazine was held behind her, but she was trapped. Remus slowly snaked an arm to her back, and plucked the magazine out of her grasp. Hermione watched as he crumpled it into a ball and threw it out the window of the tree house. Hermione was about to protest his littering, when his lips crashed into hers.

Hermione immediately responded, pushing towards him and gripping his hair in her hands. She could hear a low growl in Remus' throat, and pushed away a laughed as he wrapped an arm tightly around her waist. Hermione hummed into Remus' mouth as he grinded against her. Remus pulled away slowly, letting his teeth trail down her neck slowly, giving Hermione tiny goose bumps all over her body. She shuttered as Remus stopped where the base of her neck met her shoulders. Growing impatient, Hermione pushed forward, eager for his touch. She heard another low growl from deep inside Remus' throat, and then he pulled away.

Hermione opened her eyes slowly and saw Remus standing a few feet away, his eyes closed tightly and taking large breaths. She felt her face go red and bit her lip anxiously.

"Remus, is everything alright?" Hermione asked after a moment, the silence was growing unbearable.

"Yes," Remus replied, eyes still closed tightly.

"Then why aren't you looking at me?" Hermione raised a brow and Remus crinkled his nose and took another step away.

"I just need a moment," He explained quickly and Hermione crossed her arms.

"You need a moment." Hermione repeated back to him, hoping he'd catch on to the mediocrity of the situation. Remus opened his eyes and nodded his head. Hermione scoffed, "You need a _moment_?" Hermione repeated again, this time a bit more urgent. Remus' eyes narrowed at her and he sighed before he continued.

"Hermione…" He began, and then cleared his throat. "I'm trying to calm the wolf down." He explained shortly, and Hermione's face went bright red.

"The wolf?" Hermione blinked.

"Yes, the wolf. I'm afraid—I'm afraid that if we don't stop now, I won't be able too." Remus said through clenched teeth, embarrassment apparent on his face. He slowly slid down the wall and sat down on the ground. Slowly, Hermione nodded her head and walked over to Remus and sat down next to him.

"Has this happened, with other girls?" She wondered. Remus gave her a horrified look before violently shaking his head.

"God no," He spat almost bitterly and Hermione inhaled a bit too sharply. So _she_ was the problem.

"Remus, I'm sorry—," Hermione began but Remus cut her off.

"Please Hermione don't apologize," Remus nearly pleaded as his face turned bright red. "It's the wolf, it's because you're my mate." He explained slowly and methodically. "The wolf wants to claim you." He finished.

"Didn't the wolf already claim me?" Hermione raised an eyebrow and lifted up her arm to show him the large scar. Remus looked at it, then cringed and pulled his head away quickly.

"A different _kind_ of claim," Remus responded.

"What kind—Oh," Hermione's face went bright red she became flustered, "Oh, Remus I didn't know." Hermione's eyes were wide and she was horrified. She had read of this, and she didn't have a clue as to why she thought this didn't apply to them as well. She cursed herself for being so naïve and laid her head down on Remus' shoulder. After a few moments of silence, Hermione sighed loudly and swung herself around, straddling herself on Remus' lap. Her legs were placed on either side of his and her faces only inches away from his.

"Hermione," Remus protested but Hermione put a single finger to his lips. Once he was quiet she slowly moved all of her hair to one side of her neck and pulled down the collar of her shirt, exposing the bit of flesh that Remus was so intrigued with. She raised an eyebrow at Remus, whose eyes remained planted on the bare bit of skin. She saw the lust in his eyes and watched as his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he took a large breath of air.

"What are you doing?" He rasped as he dragged his eyes away from her neck. Hermione shrugged and shifted on top of him impatiently.

"Mine as well get it over with," Hermione said with a shrug and pointed to her neck.

"You…You want me to claim _you_? _Now_?" Remus gasped as he slammed his back hard against the wooden wall. "I can't, I won't." Remus stated firmly and Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Remus, you've already claimed me, this is just sealing the deal." Hermione said slowly, not knowing what exactly the problem was.

"I—Hermione, we'd have to _mate,_ for the claim to work. That's how this goes." Remus cringed as he explained, his face going scarlet.

"Remus, you've made that quite obvious. I think I know what I'm getting myself into." Hermione crossed her arms, but didn't budge off of Remus lap. Remus' eye got wide and his jaw dropped at Hermione's bold words.

"Hermione, I don't think—,"

"Remus! I love you, and I don't care that you're a bloody werewolf, and I don't care about being ostracized from society, and I know that you feel like you deserve nothing, but honestly you deserve the world and—," Hermione's words were silenced by Remus crashing his lips into hers, aggressively at first, but then much calmer. Reluctantly, he pulled away and sighed.

"Not here," He told her finally and Hermione looked around at the dirty tree house and couldn't help but laugh.

"Good idea."

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus could have died from embarrassment on the walk back from his old tree house. Hermione didn't seem to mind though; Remus watched her as she walked next to him, her curly hair bouncing up and down with every step and her hand woven in his. Remus liked watching her like this. She was so carefree; she looked her age more than she ever had. Usually her eyes were always furrowed down in concentration and looked as though you could see the wheels turning inside her head, but they were different this time. Almost lighter somehow, brighter in a different kind of way. Hermione caught a glance of Remus staring and blushed while she raised an eyebrow.

"What?" She said with a smirk and Remus shrugged his shoulders and nudged Hermione off the path a bit. Hermione laughed next to him and then frowned slightly.

"What are you thinking?" Remus wondered as her brow furrowed as they neared the house.

"Just…" She began and then sighed. "Just about Severus," she finished and looked up at Remus as if she had done something wrong. Remus nodded her head as if asking her to go on. "Dumbledore has him doing some dangerous things…I would just hate it if he got hurt," Hermione glanced at Remus quickly then looked back down again. "Or worse."

"Snape nearly killed you, Hermione." Remus reminded her a bit possessively. Hermione gave him a look and slowly nodded her head.

"He's confused. It doesn't excuse any of his actions of course, but he doesn't deserve to die for them." She finished thoroughly.

"You can't save everyone, Hermione." Remus reminded Hermione who winced at his words. He knew that they had been a bit harsh, but they needed to be said. Hermione was doing all she could in this time to stop Voldemort. She had nothing to feel guilty about.

"I can try," She said in a quiet voice that left Remus unsettled. He knew that Hermione had felt burdened with the recent deaths, but they weren't her fault. Remus pulled her in closer to him as they walked back up over to the house.

~Until Next Time!

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review and thank you so much for reading.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Greetings Everyone! So this is a shorter chapter, basically because I wanted to end it on this particular note. Anyways, please review down below and let me know what you think. Reviews are everything, and they just inspire me to write more and more. Thank you so much for reading, you are all so phenomenal and I love you all very much.**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe, not I.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"Dinner smells lovely, dear" Lyall said as he gathered food onto his plate.

"Thank you," Hope smiled at her husband and then turned to the two teens. "And what exciting things do the two of you have planned this week?" She asked and Hermione turned to Remus expectantly. Remus, who looked as though he was taken by surprised cleared his throat and looked towards Hermione expectantly.

"Well…" He said slowly, still looking at Hermione. "I thought I'd take her to that nearby muggle village for a day," He clarified and Hope nodded her head thoughtfully.

"That would be wonderful, maybe you could pick up some things from the bakery as well? Charlotte and David make the best pastries!" Hope explained quickly and Hermione and Remus both shared a knowing look.

"Hope, the kids don't want to spend the day running errands for you," Lyall reminded his wife, who huffed loudly.

"We don't mind," Hermione interjected quickly, and Hope gave her a warm smile.

"See, they would love too, right?" She gave Hermione a quick wink and Hermione laughed as Remus rolled his eyes.

After dinner, the group gathered into the cozy living room and Hope brought out a small shoe box. Hermione looked around the room for any indication as to what the box was.

"Mum, no!" Remus groaned when he noticed the shoe box in her hands. Hermione raised an eyebrow at Remus. When Hope opened the shoe box however, the reason for his groaning became apparent. Inside the small box, were thousands of wizard Polaroid's of a young Remus. Hermione stared in awe at the box full, before turning to Remus and grinning.

"I've always liked this one," Lyall said as he stuck his hand in the box and pulled out one of Hope reading Remus a story. Remus looked to be about four years old and was sitting in his mother's lap looking up at her; he then kissed her cheek repeatedly. Hermione couldn't help but grin at the photograph and turned towards Remus and winked.

"Please," Remus pleaded but the three ignored him.

"This is Remus when he was just about three years old," Hope said as she passed Hermione a wizard photograph. Hermione held it closely to her face and grinned. The picture was of a toddler version of Remus who looked to be wailing out and crying. His face was chubbier then, and free of scars. He threw his arms up in the air and waved them around before he found a toy on the ground to play with.

"Mum!" Remus cried as he reached for the picture and Hermione swiped it away quickly.

"Excuse me Remus but that was very rude, I wasn't done looking at the picture." Hermione said in a mock professional voice as she gave Remus a doting look. Hermione could nearly hear the growl in Remus' throat and she burst out into giggles.

"Oh! Here's a good one!" Hope said as she showed Hermione another picture of Remus, this time he was butt naked, and giggling.

"I love this!" Hermione gasped and held the photograph tightly to her chest. "Can I have a copy of this one please?" Hermione pleaded and Hope let out a hardy chuckle before nodding her head.

"This one if my personal favorite," Lyall said as he handed Hermione another picture. This one was of Remus at an older age, around five or six. He was donned in his father's robes, which were much too big for him and waving his father's wand around in no particular rhythm. Lyall was in the photo as well, crouched down and teaching his son the correct movement. Hermione brought the picture closer and narrowed her eyes at Lyall. He looked nearly identical to Remus in this, his eyes smiling in the same crinkly fashion and his hair was a mop of curls, much like his sons.

"Please, stop." Remus begged and Hermione giggled.

"He was adorable," Hope agreed looking over Hermione's shoulder.

"He is adorable," Hermione corrected as she shot a quick smirk at Remus, who blushed.

Hermione learned quickly that Remus' parents were indeed wonderful people, but she couldn't help but notice the timid looks they gave Hermione and Remus. The fearful look that Hope had given Hermione when Remus grabbed her hand and the cautious look that Lyall had given Hermione when she kissed Remus on the cheek. She had hope that this had nothing to do with the fact that they thought Remus could hurt her, and more to do with the fact that she was Remus' first serious girlfriend.

The night dragged on, and eventually everyone bid goodnight to one another. Remus led Hermione to her room and kissed her goodnight, leaving her alone. Once alone, Hermione looked over around at the room. It was small and cozy, much like the rest of the house. She sat down on her bed and let out a large yawn. It didn't take Hermione long to drift into sleep.

She was woken by the soft creaking of the door opening, and her eyes quickly glanced over to the clock that hung in the room. It read 12:33. Hermione blinked her eyes open and narrowed them at the door. Remus appeared, clad in pajama pants and a plain white t-shirt and a determined look on his face. Hermione thought vaguely that this might be a dream.

"Hermione," He whispered to her after he shut the door quietly. This definitely was not a dream.

"Remus!" Hermione hissed as she jolted up. "What are you doing?" She cried frantically as her eyes darted over to the door. She pulled the blanket over herself and gaped at him.

"Hermione!" He whispered back with a smirk as he sat down on her bed.

"You can't be in here," Hermione warned, her eyes not peeling from the door. "Your parents—,"

"I've put a silencing charm up, its fine." Remus explained to her reassuringly.

"What if they walk in—" The horror struck Hermione and she scrambled to the opposite side of the bed. "If they catch you in here they'll hate me forever!" She announced and Remus laughed.

"Hermione I've missed you, am I not allowed spend time with my girlfriend?" He questioned and Hermione went rigid.

"Not in the middle of the night!" She hissed at him. Remus nodded his head knowingly and stood up off the bed.

"I'm sorry," He said after a moment. "I know that making sure my parents like you is important to you, so I'll go." He explained softly as he made his way towards the door. As he walked away, a longing feeling in Hermione's stomach rose and the words were pouring out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"Wait!" She hissed and Remus turned around, a small grin growing on his face. "I know you like to cuddle so, maybe we could." She said dumbly, but Remus didn't seem to mind. The grin was wide now, and he ran towards the bed at full speed and jumped on, causing Hermione to squeal with delight.

"Shh!" Remus hushed her quietly and Hermione pouted.

"I thought you've cast a silencing charm?" She questioned and Remus shrugged.

"We're not allowed to use magic out of school," He reminded her and Hermione eyes went wide and her hands flew up in fury.

"Remus!" She hissed.

"What?" He asked incredulously and Hermione groaned.

"What did you have planned, you thought you could just come into my room in the middle of the night and _ravish_ me for everyone in the house to hear!" Hermione gasped loudly pointing an incriminating finger in Remus face.

" _Ravish? Ravish, Hermione?_ " Remus asked, a large grin growing on his face and he fell into the bed laughing. His body heaved with laughter and Hermione scowled and felt her face glow bright red.

"Shh!" Hermione hushed Remus and nudged in him in the gut, but that only sent Remus into another fit of giggles.

"Ravish!" He barked out as tears of laughter poured down his face. Hermione crossed her arms uncomfortably and cleared her throat loudly, getting Remus' attention once again.

"Hermione," Remus gasped in between giggles. "I wasn't going to come in here and _ravish_ you!" He barked out a loud laugh and Hermione clamped a hand over his mouth and moved her face only inches from his.

"Remus, be quiet!" She hissed and Remus relaxed. Hermione pulled her hand away and Remus was still smirking.

"Is that what you thought I was going to do? Come in here, and _ravish_ you?" Remus asked in astonishment and Hermione blushed bright red.

"Oh be quiet," She told him with narrow eyes and Remus giggled some more.

"Ravish," He repeated and Hermione poked him hard in the gut, not meaning any true harm.

"Does the offer for cuddling still stand?" He lifted an eyebrow and Hermione bit her lip and put on her best thinking face.

"Hmmm….I don't know—"

Hermione was interrupted by a small kiss placed on her forehead, and she sighed.

"Please?" Remus asked, his face contorted into that of a begging puppy.

"Okay," Hermione said with a smile as she crashed down onto Remus's chest and snuggled up against him. Remus instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her in closer. It didn't take Hermione long at all to drift into sleep. The eerie calmness that she usually felt when she was with Remus

That's how Hope and Lyall found them in the morning, cuddled close together and sleeping innocently.

Hermione woke up, and was displeased to find that Remus was no longer holding her tightly. She sat up and rubbed her eyes before she stood up and looked around. The sun was shining in, and Hermione thought that she heard movement in the kitchen below her. Slowly she made her way into the kitchen, and found Hope humming softly while she made breakfast.

"Good morning, Hermione." Hope smiled tightly at the girl as she worked away.

"Good morning," Hermione yawned back. She looked around, and figured that Remus was probably still sleeping, and Lyall was most likely at work.

"Hermione," Hope said as she turned towards the girl. The woman sat down at the table and motioned for Hermione to join her. Slowly, Hermione sat down and an uncomfortable feeling churned in her stomach. "Dear, this morning Lyall and I found Remus sleeping in your bed with you." She began and Hermione paled. She _knew_ that they would get caught! She bit her lip nervously and dared a look at the woman. "Now Hermione, I'm aware that you know of Remus' condition, is that true?" Hope asked in a smaller voice, one that suddenly made Hermione question what direction this conversation was going.

"His lycanthropy, yes." Hermione replied in a confident voice, she wasn't ashamed of Remus, of his condition.

"I love my son," Hope said suddenly, grabbing one of Hermione's hands in her own. "But I know what he is capable of." She said softly and rolled up her sleeve to show a large scar on her wrist. Hermione gasped at it and raised her eyebrows in question.

"He did that to you?" She wondered softly, and Hope nodded.

"It was one of his first full moons," Hope started. "He was just a child, I wanted to comfort him." She said sadly. "Hermione, he's not himself when there's a full moon." Hope warned suddenly and Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"He'd never hurt me," Hermione said slowly and Hope inhaled sharply.

"I thought he wouldn't hurt me," Hope pressed and Hermione drew her hand away from Hope's. Hermione wanted to elaborate on her statement. She wanted to explain to Hope carefully that she was Remus' mate, and that the two of them could not physically harm the other, but she bit back her tongue. It wasn't exactly her place to tell Hope anything, and it wasn't exactly any of Hope's business. Then, suddenly, there was a sharp inhale from the doorway, and Hermione's head turned in time to see Remus sprinting out of the room. Hermione gave Hope a horrified look and attempted to chase after Remus. Hermione entered the living room just in time to see Remus disappear in the fireplace. She quickly turned back to Hope who shook her head sadly.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus was upset, and he wasn't sure as to what he was quite upset with. It wasn't Hermione, she had done nothing wrong. And it wasn't his mother, she was just telling the truth. Perhaps, he was upset at himself. He _was_ a monster of course, his mother was just warning Hermione of his capabilities. It wasn't like Hermione didn't know already; he had scarred her in her own time.

After he heard the conversation between his mother and Hermione, he ran into the living room and flooed away. He had originally planned on going to James' house, but he thought that would be the first place Hermione would look. He needed time to be alone, to think about himself. So he flooed into the Leaky Cauldron, he hoped that after spending a few hours in Diagon Alley alone, he would be human enough to face Hermione.

It wasn't that he was mad at Hermione, he just felt as though he didn't deserve her. This idea had often toyed with him. When he first became friends with the other Marauders, he felt as if he didn't deserve them as well, but looking back now, that was a completely different situation.

So he ran off, partly because he was scared, partly because he was angry, and partly because he feared that part of what his mother was saying held some truth. Remus knew that running away was the cowardly thing to do, he also knew that there was probably no Gryffindor left inside of him. So Remus found himself a corner booth and ordered a drink.

~Until Next Time~

 **I know that this is a super short chapter, I'm so sorry! But I really wanted to end it on this note and inspiration for this story is just coming in shorter bursts I'm afraid. I hope that you guys enjoyed the chapter nonetheless and please review and tell me what your thinking! Thank you all so much for reading you are all so phenomenal and great and thankyouthankyouthankyou!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Greetings Everyone! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, this one came to me pretty easily. (it wasn't fighting me like the last one, thank god.) Thank you so much for reading this and please leave a review telling me what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the entire Harry Potter universe, not me. I know, devastating isn't it?**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione whipped around quickly and gave Hope a sad, defeated look. "I'm going to go find him," Hermione explained quickly as she dashed towards her room to pack some necessities. Hope hurried along after her, her brows in a furrow.

"Oh no! That poor thing! I never meant for him to hear any of that!" Hope cringed as Hermione hurried back towards the living room, her small beaded bag filled to the brim with things. She doubted that she would be gone very long, but she wanted to be prepared if she couldn't find him.

"I'll make this right," Hermione promised Hope, who winced.

"He'll come back soon, you really shouldn't leave. It's not safe out there, especially for you." Hope told Hermione and Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"Has he ran away before?" She questioned suddenly, and Hope paled a bit.

"Never very far. He doesn't like people seeing him when he's upset; he's always been that way." Hope explained. Hermione felt anger boiling up in her stomach and she closed her eyes tightly.

"Where does he go?" Hermione interrogated Hope who shrugged her should and sighed.

"I'm—I'm not sure." She admitted softly. "He never tells us, I think it's different every time, but he always comes back, and never much later. Please Hermione, stay here and wait till he comes back. It's not safe to have you to running around chasing after each other." Hope said protectively and Hermione tilted her head in consideration before answering.

"I—I can't." Hermione told the woman. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that he's out there upset and alone. I have to go," Hermione explained softly. Hope nodded her head and watched as Hermione stepped into the fireplace.

"Potter Manor," She spoke clearly, and she disappeared from the Lupin's living room.

When she landed in the Potter's living room, she was face to face with an older looking house-elf. The elf's eyes were only inches from Hermione's, and it screamed out in fright and backed away, tripped over a snug in the carpet.

"Oh, I'm awfully sorry about that!" Hermione said as she helped the shivering house elf off the ground. The house elf gave her a brief look, and then apparated out of sight and Hermione cringed at the awful encounter. She heard a loud popping noise from upstairs and then heard muffled voices. She peered around the room and saw it was empty. Hearing footsteps rattle from upstairs Hermione anxiously looked for a hiding space. She regretted coming to James' house for help in the first place. She paced anxiously as the footsteps drew closer.

"Bloody hell! Hermione?" James gasped wondrously and Hermione refrained from scolding his language.

"Hello," Hermione said hopelessly. Sirius came into view from behind James and his jaw dropped.

"You look like you've been crying." He noted obviously and Hermione shrugged.

"Is Remus—did Remus do something?" James asked as he peered around the room and noticed that his werewolf friend was not with her. Hermione closed her eyes tightly, trying to fight back the tears that were forming. She felt her face grow hot and she looked at James and shook her head.

"I—" Hermione choked, unable to say any more words, and let out a silent sob. The two boys stood in front of her awkwardly. James muttered something into Sirius' ear, and Sirius muttered something back, elbowing James in the process. After a few moments of the awkward situation, Hermione shook her head and wiped away the tears that were forming.

"Remus ran away." She told the two boys, and they both instantly furrowed their brows.

"He ran away? Did you two get into a fight?" Sirius asked urgently and Hermione shrugged.

"Not exactly, he overheard his mother warning me about his Lycanthropy." Hermione explained quickly, her face beginning to flush. "It was all a load of rubbish! I already know everything about his lycanthropy and I don't care! I don't care, I don't care, and _I don't care_!" She spat mostly to herself, not sure if she was making any actual sense. James led her to the couch where she sat down and took a deep breath, before looking back up at the two boys.

"What was his mother saying?" James wondered as he adjusted his glasses on his face.

"A bunch of rubbish!" Hermione snapped. "She was warning me that Remus was capable of hurting me! He couldn't though, it's impossible!" Hermione said as she through her arms up in the air in defeat. "And even if he could hurt me, he'd never do it. I know he wouldn't." Hermione said thoroughly as she looked up at the other two boys for an explanation.

"Do you know where he went?" Sirius asked with a raised brow. His hand running through his dark hair and his face furrowed with worry. Hermione gave him a dry look and sighed loudly.

"Yes, Sirius." She said sarcastically. "I know exactly where he is, that's why I've come here." She squinted her eyes at Sirius until his worried face broke into a small smirk. Hermione's own frown fractured for a small moment, and then a smile grew on her face.

"My parents are out, but I can leave them a note and tell them we've gone to look?" James offered and Hermione winced.

"It's not safe for us to be out there on our own." Sirius told the other two.

"Remus is out there on his own!" Hermione said urgently as she sat down heavily next to Sirius. "He _is_ on his own, we have to go. What do you think we should do? Call the Order and have a search and rescue?" Hermione said incredulously. Sirius winced at her words. She knew that she had to go find Remus; that was obvious. And she knew that she wanted help from James and Sirius, but she didn't actually want them in any harm's way.

"Where do you think he's gone to?" Hermione asked after a moment of silence.

"That depends? Did he floo away? Or did he just up and leave?" James asked Hermione who lifted a brow.

"He flooed, does that matter?" Hermione asked suddenly, a headache pounding somewhere deep inside her head. She watched as the two boys shared a grimacing glance. "What?" Hermione asked Sirius and James, "What is it then? Where is he?" She demanded.

"Wherever he went," James began, his face going slightly pale.

"There's bound to be alcohol." Sirius finished.

"And lots of it," James added hastily, as Hermione paled.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus had completely lost track of time. It had been early in the morning when he left, so the Leaky Cauldron was hesitant about serving alcohol already, but with a bit of persuasion, Remus had them bringing out pints of Firewhiskey. He wasn't even aware of how many drinks he had consumed so far, but he knew it was probably far too many. However, being a werewolf, came with some extra abilities. Remus had always been able to hold his alcohol better than his friends, and possessed quite a talent for sobering up quickly. Now however, it was a completely different story. Remus was certain he had never been this intoxicated in his life, and he felt as though he was floating in air.

"Another cup?" An exhausted looking man asked as he shot a quick glance towards the several other empty bottles of Firewhiskey. Remus' eyes sagged down and he shrugged out a reply. He snorted bitterly as the man walked away and rested his head on the table in front of him. He gently tapped his forehead against the table, trying to replay the events that had taken place earlier that day.

He preferred to wallow in self pitty alone, the casualty rate remained quite low and he didn't have to worry about making a complete arse out of himself. He continued to gently tap his head against the table, willing the self loathing away.

He certainly wasn't mad at anyone but himself. He despised that he let himself get so close to Hermione. Deep down, he knew he didn't deserve her, he knew that opening up and inviting her in was the worst thing he could have done. He miserably regretted the ruthless beating he had caused Sirius months prior. He regretted letting Hermione know his true feelings, and he regretted their relationship.

 _You're lying to yourself._

Remus shrugged at the words, knowing that they were true. Hermione had been one of the better things to occur in his life, next to going to Hogwarts and forming friendships with the other three Marauders. Hermione was his mate; he couldn't regret a thing about her. He thought of the way she smirked when she thought something was entertaining. And he thought of the way her dark brown eyes lit up when she was passionate about something, and darkened when she was angry. The way her hair misbehaved and went into a frizzy mess when she tried to tame it, and the way she so elegantly refused to apologize for being her. He did love her, and he could not regret that.

"Here you go," The tired looking man returned with another glass of Firewhiskey, eyeing Remus down suspiciously. After a moment of staring, he turned away and then stopped, slowly turning himself back towards the werewolf.

"Mate, you alright?" The man asked as he raised a bushy eyebrow and squinted a friendly blue eye. Remus slowly lifted his head off of the table and stared the man down. He blinked for a few moments, before remembering to speak.

"No," He replied shortly and honestly. There was no point to lying to a man he'd never see again. The tall man looked to be surprised by Remus blunt answer, although Remus looked anything _but_ fine. The man fumbled with his apron then grunted.

"Want to talk?" He mumbled in a hoarse voice and Remus' hazy eyes widened at the man's straightforward offer.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"Alcohol?" Hermione repeated back as her heart sunk. She had hoped that the other boys would be wrong in their assumption, she didn't need to deal with a completely plastered, insecure, moody, Remus. She didn't think she _could_ deal with that kind of Remus. "You've got to be joking," She turned to Sirius, whose face was in a grimace.

"'Fraid not," Sirius admitted as he shook his head.

"He's more mature than that. He wouldn't just run away and drink himself to death. That's not Remus." Hermione said stubbornly and James snorted while Sirius shook his head and frowned.

"Hermione, you've got Remus on the massive pedestal." Sirius explained as they made their way towards the kitchen. "Remus is one of my best mates, a wonderful man, believe me. But he _is_ just a man. And a bloody insecure one at that." Sirius said and cocked his head towards James. "He's not perfect Hermione." Sirius reminded her.

Hermione grated her teeth and stared daggers at Sirius. She had never _said_ that Remus was perfect. She had just implied that she thought he knew better than to do something so completely stupid.

"Where do you suppose he went?" James, who sensed the oncoming argument interjected quickly.

"I say we try Diagon Alley, then Hogsmeade. I think he's most comfortable in those two places. Especially if he's going somewhere to get drunk. Probably the Leaky Cauldron or the Three Broomsticks." Sirius said as he began scribbling down on a piece of paper.

"Should we tell Wormtail?" James asked. "Maybe he could help." James offered. Hermione dismissed his offer with the wave of her hand.

"The less people the better, I don't want anyone wandering around when Death Eaters are dying to attack." Hermione told the two boys, who reluctantly agreed. Hermione finally understood how James could have so easily laid his trust in the wrong person. He was naturally good hearted, naturally loyal. The idea of betrayal was most likely beyond his comprehension. She shook the thought away quickly, pressing it into the back of her mind.

 _That's over with now. No one is going to betray James and Lily._

"We should stick together," Hermione told the two boys. Sirius bit his bottom lip and arched an eyebrow, but Hermione's eye contact remained serious and unmoving. Finally he shrugged in agreement and Hermione urgently nodded.

"Leaky Cauldron, then?" James wondered and Hermione glanced at Sirius, and the two of them both eagerly nodded their heads.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

"So you left?" The waiter whose name tag read Edward asked. Remus slowly nodded, his head pounding with an irritable headache. He rubbed his temples, then his bloodshot eyes and sighed deeply. He hadn't told the man his entire story. Delicately leaving out the bits and pieces as to where he was a werewolf, but filling the man in just enough to explain to him the situation. Remus figured, if he was going to get belligerently drunk, he should at least tell his waiter the reasoning behind it.

"Yes I left." Remus spat back a bit bitterly as he took another drink. Edward eyed him closely then shook his head.

"Well you've got to go back." He told Remus. Remus stared at him dryly and lifted a brow.

"I know, Edward." Remus sighed. "But I'll just look like a complete and utter fool!" He roared, the alcohol obviously getting to him. Edward didn't flinch, but leaned in closer.

"Why don't you think this girl deserves you?" Edward asked. "You look like a—" He paused slightly, looking Remus up and down. "Nice fellow," He added a bit hastily. Remus snorted and shook his head.

"I'm a mess. Completely unpredictable and irrational. I'm a coward and she doesn't deserve someone like me." He explained acidly. Edward pursed his lips and shrugged.

"She doesn't deserve you if you're too busy wallowing in self pitty, Remus." Edward said to Remus as he poured himself a glass. "I had myself in quite the similar situation, but I overcame it." Edward explained to Remus, who dryly raised an eyebrow in an attempt to seem interested.

"Do tell," Remus urged in a monotone voice. If Edward noticed the bitterness threaded into Remus' words, he never mentioned. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice.

"I shouldn't really be saying this, it's dangerous in this time, and it's only going to get more dangerous." Edward admitted and took another shot and shrugged. "I'm muggleborn." He told Remus bluntly. Remus blinked away the drowsiness and narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Yeah?" He hiccupped.

"Yes, and my wife is a pureblood. I've got quite the target on my back during these times." Edward explained and Remus' eyes widened. "My wife's been raised to believe that she is better than muggleborns. She's been raised to believe that I'm inferior to her, but I'm not. And she knows it. And it took me a little while, but I know it as well." Edward explained and Remus shifted a bit uncomfortably.

"It's different—," Remus began, but stopped when he realized he had no intention of explaining exactly _how_ different their situations were.

"But it's not!" Edward said urgently. "It exactly the same!" He said as he leaned in towards Remus. Remus instinctively pulled away, suddenly ashamed of the alcohol on his breath and the numerous empty cups surrounding them. He nodded awkwardly at Edward and avoided eye contact. "I have to get back to work," Edward said as a large group of wizards and witches came in for lunch. "But I wish you the best, Remus."

"Thanks Edward." Remus snorted and the man tilted his head and squinted his eyes at the name tag.

"Oh, please call me Ted." The man snorted as he flicked his wand at his name tag and the letters quickly changed to spell out the shorter name. "Ted Tonks."

"Oh, well— thanks Ted." Remus corrected himself and the man nodded. "Er—can I ask a question?" Remus wondered quickly.

"Go ahead," Ted offered with a smile.

"How is it working out, with you and your wife?"

"My wife gave birth to a little girl a couple years back," Ted smiled at the thought. "She's the best thing that happened to us." And with that, he walked away.

~Until Next Time~

 **How did you like it? Please leave a review and tell me what you think! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read this, I hope you guys are enjoying this fanfic! Thank you so much!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Greetings Everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter, please review and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe, not I.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

"I'll go first," James offered and Hermione shrugged, not particularly interested in the order that they appeared, but more so that they got there soon. James grabbed a palm full of the silky powder and stepped into his fireplace. James disappeared before their eyes and Sirius turned to face Hermione.

"It'll be okay," Sirius said and he reached out and squeezed her shoulder. Hermione smiled weakly at him and sighed.

"Thanks. He better be prepared. When we find him, he'll be hearing a lot from me." Hermione said firmly, and Sirius let out a hardy chuckle and nodded his head. Hermione walked past Sirius and grabbed a handful of the powder. She stepped into the fireplace and raised an eyebrow at Sirius.

"I don't expect anything less," Sirius grinned as Hermione disappeared in the flames.

Once the three of them arrived in the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione felt momentarily very uncomfortable. She didn't do well with bars. Or drunk people. Or drunk people in bars. The idea of leaving yourself so completely vulnerable never really sat right with Hermione. Perhaps it was due to being a child raised on the brink of war, or that she had a perfectionist mentality, and tended to enjoy being in control. She wasn't sure why she disliked it so much, but she did. As they entered the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione instinctively shadowed the boys, not wanting to draw much attention to herself.

"Oi! Ted?" Sirius shouted and waved a hand eagerly in the air. Hermione peered over his shoulder and saw him waving frantically to a man not much older than themselves with a friendly smile. He was carrying drinks and wore a name tag, so Hermione figured he worked here.

"Sirius?" The man raised an eyebrow as Sirius led the group over to where the man stood. Hermione raised her eyebrow up at James. He lowered his head down to whisper something in Hermione's ear, when Sirius cleared his throat loudly.

"Ted Tonks, the fine man who married Andromeda." Sirius smiled brightly at the three. When he noticed Hermione's eyebrow quirk up in an arch he added hastily. "My cousin, Andromeda."

"My names' Ted. It's nice to finally meet some of Sirius' friends." The man balanced all of the glasses in one arm and stuck out the other to shake Hermione's and James' hand.

"James Potter," The boy with the messy hair smiled and Ted nodded his head eagerly.

"Hermione Granger," Hermione smiled warmly at the man and he gripped her hand hard.

"Wonderful, wonderful." He said and turned towards Sirius.

"How your little girl doing? Nymphadora?" Sirius wondered as he plucked a piece of fruit that was staged artistically next to an alcoholic beverage. Hermione watched as Ted's eyes narrowed at Sirius, but he only smiled. She then turned her attention back to the fruity alcoholic drink. She briefly wondered if it was a bit much for the Leaky Cauldron, but only smiled to herself.

Ted paled at his mention of his daughter, and then let out a hard laugh. "She's a riot. Stomping around the place like she owns it. She's definitely got her mother's temper. I'd say it's a common trait in the Black genes though." Ted smiled as Sirius scratched the back of his head and James snorted loudly next to him. "Hard to keep track of Dora though, with her changing all the bloody time." Ted mused.

"Changing—all the time?" Hermione asked curiously. "What does that mean?" She couldn't help her curiosity.

"Oh, sorry. Dora's a metamorphmagus." Ted explained quickly and James raised an eyebrow.

"Gazuntite." James responded cheerfully, earning eye rolls from the other three.

"A metamorphmagus. Its someone who has the ability to change their physical appearance at will." Hermione explained to James who nodded his head.

"Oh yeah, I've heard of those," He commented and Sirius grinned up at his friend.

"She doesn't do it at will yet, she's too young for that. But her hair is turning all sorts of colors. Dromeda finds I endearing, I find it entertaining." Ted said proudly with a widespread grin. Hermione decided that she liked this man as she watched him interact with the other two boys. There were some people that you could just tell were good, deep in their bones. And Hermione figured that Ted was one of those people.

"What brings you around here? No trouble with your family, right? Dromeda mentioned that you moved out." Ted's eyes narrowed at Sirius and Hermione could swear she heard Sirius snort when Ted mentioned the words "moved out."

"Yeah, I moved out." Sirius confirmed a bit awkwardly. Hermione let out an impatient sigh behind him and Sirius seemed to snap back into what they came here for. "Ted, I'm actually here looking for a friend." Sirius explained quickly and Hermione relaxed next to him.

"He's fairly tall, a bit gangly." Hermione added as she raised her hand up to Remus' estimated height.

"A _bit_ gangly?" James repeated with a small smirk and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"Brownish hair, handsome devil." Sirius explained quickly. "His names Remus—"

"Remus! Why didn't you say so?" Ted exclaimed, nearly dropping the glasses he was still holding. Hermione wondered briefly for a moment why he didn't use magic to carry the cups, but didn't think much on that topic after Ted mentioned Remus' name.

"He's here!" James inhaled sharply, a large smile growing on his face. Sirius shared a happy look with his friend and then turned to Hermione to nod eagerly. A rush of relief spread throughout Hermione's body and she felt her heart beat at a normal speed since Remus first left.

"Yeah, poor bloke's been drinking the morning away. Awfully sad about some girl—" Ted stopped and eyed Hermione over. "Probably would be you, huh?" He said as he adjusted his hands and Hermione felt her face go red and she nodded her head.

"That would be me." She spoke slowly and bit her bottom lip anxiously.

"Alright, I'll lead you to him." Ted said as he fumbled his wand out of his back pocket and flicked his wand at the drinks in his arm, which ominously floated in the air towards the other tables. "Just a warning, he's in pretty rough condition." Ted said as he walked towards the back of the bar. "He should be right—wait a sec, where'd he go?" Ted asked wondrously as he walked to the corner booth. "He was right here, I swear." Ted turned to the group and Hermione paled once again. "Bloke didn't pay…" Ted mumbled.

"Where did he go?" She asked through clench teeth, even though she knew perfectly well that no one would be able to answer her. Sirius grunted impatiently next to him and James shrugged his shoulders, defeated.

"Sorry, he was here. I have to go back to work though, let me know if you find the kid. He was a nice guy." Ted said as he started walking away. Hermione watched as James peered over the table and noticed that Remus had left before paying for his drinks. As Ted walked by, James caught him by his shoulder and attempted to slyly hand him a few sickles. Ted nodded his head thankfully and walked away to take care of the next table. James realized that the other two were staring at him with raised eyebrows and he shrugged with a blush.

"Don't tell Remus, he'd never forgive me." James warned the other two as he adjusted his glasses. Hermione glanced up at Sirius who had a faint smirk and was shaking his head. Hermione bit her lip and stepped pass the two boys to leave.

"Where are you going?" Sirius called and Hermione turned, her arms on her hips and her eyes narrowed.

"I'm going to find Remus. I can't kill him if I can't find him, can I?" And with that, Hermione turned on her heels and stormed out of the bar.

Tons of thoughts were rushing through her head. Perhaps a couple of death eaters wandered in and recognized him. He would surely be dead. Or maybe he ran away forever and never planned on returning. Hermione's heart began to race and she felt herself go light headed.

The two boys quickly caught up to her. Sirius grabbed Hermione's elbow and turned her around quickly. Hermione's face was startled at first, but then anger flashed across her eyes.

"Sirius, let go!" Hermione demanded as she ripped her arm away from her and stomped her foot on the ground.

"Hermione, I'm normally the rash one, not you! You have to relax, stomping around all over the place isn't going to do anyone justice, it's just going to get you killed!" Sirius said firmly. Hermione glared up at him, and in that moment, she realized how intimidating he looked. He was taller than average, and his eyes a menacing grey that could cut. He stared down at her with a threatening glare, and Hermione cleared her throat to retort.

"How dare—" Hermione pointed a finger in Sirius' face, but was interrupted by James.

"Guys!" James roared but the two ignored him.

"How dare I?" Sirius snarled and then let out a loud cackling laughter. "Hermione, if you haven't noticed, you've got a price on your head! You can't afford to be rash!" Sirius snapped and Hermione's face contorted into an awful glare.

"Stop!" James exclaimed but Hermione ignored his plea.

" _You_!" Hermione hissed and she pushed her hands into Sirius chest and shoved him hard. "Do not!" Another shove. "Get to tell _me_ how to behave, Sirius Black!" Hermione shouted and shoved him hard once more. Sirius held his ground though, only making it so Hermione was just panting heavily and nearly inches from his face. Sirius' eyes turned cold and dark. He took another step forward until their foreheads were touching and he spoke in an eerily calm voice.

"Watch me."

Hermione had only meant to slap him; slaps were less likely to leave bruises, and they didn't end up hurting as much as punches. But Hermione was furious and stressed and Sirius was only making things worse. Her fist connected with his cheek hard, Hermione winced in pain as she hit bone. She vaguely saw Sirius stumble back, and fall onto his butt. Hermione grasped her right hand with her other, and let out a quiet whimper, determined not to let Sirius know that she was in pain. She inhaled sharply, and held back a choked cry, before turning around completely.

"Guys!" James hissed again and Hermione could here Sirius stand up.

"James! Shut up!" Sirius hissed and James let out a disgruntled gasp.

"Fine, then should I not tell you that Remus is currently passed out in the alleyway behind us?" James asked with a hint of sarcasm and Hermione whipped around to face the alleyway. Sure enough, Remus was lying down in the dirt, completely passed out, and snoring slightly. She took one look at him, and then sent a quick glare towards Sirius, who was avoiding her eye contact purposely.

"Remus!" Hermione hissed as she ran towards him. She stopped only a foot short and tilted her head. He was out cold, and probably wouldn't be up for hours. She knelt down and shook his shoulder with her good hand, but to no prevail, Remus continued to sleep. She turned to James and shrugged.

"He's out cold; can we take him back to your place?" Hermione asked and James nodded as he rushed by Hermione's side.

"Yeah, yeah we should. Sirius, help me lift him up." James called to the other boy. Hermione lifted her head a bit and noticed that Sirius was standing hesitantly a few feet away, inspecting the scene with caution. On James' cue, Sirius walked over and the two carefully lifted Remus up, and made their way back into the Leaky Cauldron.

"You found him!" Ted announced as he watch the four walk in. He glanced over at Sirius' cheek then down at Hermione's hand and gulped. "Er—good luck." He added hastily before disappearing. Hermione pursed her lips and led the way towards the fireplace. She stepped into it first; she stared at the three other boys before muttering James' address and disappearing.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus stretched out wide on the bed. He let out a large sigh before burying himself deep within the confines of the large blanket. He let out a sleepy snore before blinking his eyes open.

He was in James' house, that much was obvious. With the high ceiling and expensive architecture and furniture, it was hard to misplace. He didn't remember falling asleep here, but he remembered drinking. A large extensive amount of drinking that he definitely should not have done. He let out a moan as he sat himself up. He heard faint footsteps outside of the room and paused his breathing.

"Remus," A voice called as the door creaked open slightly. It was Hermione, her hair a mess of curls and her face blotchy and swollen. She looked like she had been crying. Remus had never felt lower.

"Yes," He rasped with a voice that sounded like it didn't belong to him. It was raspy and sore and Remus didn't like it.

"He's awake," Hermione called to the people on the other side of the room. The door opened more and Hermione walked in completely, shortly followed by Sirius, then James. Remus paled as his friends smiled weakly at him, only succeeding in making him feel worse about himself. His friends slowly surrounded him with pitying looks on their faces. Remus snorted loudly.

"Think its funny, do you?" Hermione asked coldly and Remus turned towards her. He narrowed his eyes at her then slowly shook his head. "You ran away!" Hermione said as she took a menacing step closer. "You abandoned me, in your own home!" She snarled. "You leave me! Knowing fully well that I would _never ever_ dream of leaving you!" She hissed and pointed a finger in his face with her bad hand.

Remus was about to reply, but his eyes traveled down to her bruised covered hand. It lingered there for a moment, before settling an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. His eyes traveled over to Sirius' cheek, purple and swollen. He felt an undistinguishable amount of anger rise up in his stomach, and couldn't stop the low growl that formed in his throat. He narrowed his eyes at Sirius, and stood up off the bed.

Before he could make a move, Hermione was back in front of him, glaring at him with her dark brown eyes.

"I don't know what you think _you're_ doing," She said with a snarl but Remus growled back.

"He hurt you." He replied shortly, the guttural growl ceasing to recede. Remus' eyes remained on Sirius', and the boy shifted awkwardly in front of them.

"Actually she hurt me, so calm down Moony." Sirius said with a hint of bitterness and Hermione grunted loudly.

"Shut up, Sirius." Hermione hissed, "I'm still upset with _you_." She added as she sent an angry glare towards Sirius. Remus smirked a bit at her sudden hostility toward the animagus.

"Hermione—" Remus, began but Hermione held up at hand to his mouth.

"No no, Remus. I get to talk first, since I'm the only bloody mature one in this room!" Hermione demanded.

At the same time, James whined, "Hey!" And Sirius gasped, "You hit _me_!" Remus opened his mouth to reply, but thought better of it, and held his head low.

"You're going to answer some questions, alright?" Hermione told Remus, who slowly nodded. "Perfect." Hermione smiled tightly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Why did you run away?" Hermione wondered. The question was like a slap to the face for Remus, and he quickly glanced at the other two boys in the room before sighing and shaking his head.

"I was upset." Remus offered shortly and Hermione rolled her eyes and sneered.

"Obviously." She retorted quickly. "Please elaborate."

"After I heard my—my mother telling you about the scar that she received from me, I was disgusted with myself. I hurt my own mother for Merlin's sake! What's to stop me from hurting you? What's to stop me from becoming the monster that we all know I am?" Remus nearly shouted and then shook his head in disgust.

"Remus," Hermione said softly, her eyes were warm and golden. "You know you couldn't hurt me."

"That's not the point!" Remus explained. "The point is that I'm no good for you. I never will be." He admitted softly. Hermione turned towards the other to boys and waved them off. James and Sirius both gave Remus anxious glances before leaving the room. Hermione sighed loudly once the door was closed and she sat down on the bed, patting the spot next to her for Remus.

Remus followed suit and sat down heavily on the bed, his head in his hands. "You should have just stayed with Sirius." He grumbled bitterly. Hermione's eyes widened and she let out a cold laugh.

"Do you think there is something between Sirius and I?" She snarled. Remus glanced at her and cringed at her deathly stare. "Do you think I'd honestly be better off with him? Remus, do you think you'd be able to even handle that?" Hermione said a bit harsher than Remus thought she had intended to say.

"I don't know." Remus said dumbly, and he felt himself go red. He knew that his argument was weak, and that there really wasn't any evidence to back it up, but he remained digging for excuses.

"You don't honestly think that, do you?" Hermione wondered as she exhaled loudly and shook her head. "Remus, I love you, I hope you know that." Hermione told Remus, who nodded his head slowly. "Your Lycanthropy is something that you'll have to deal with for the rest of your life." Hermione said. Remus winced, already knowing this dreadful fact. "And if I decide that I want to spend the rest of my life helping you deal with it, that's _my_ choice. Not yours. You don't get to pick who I love." She said sternly, and Remus felt his voice catch in his throat.

"I—"

"No, please listen." Hermione interrupted. "Please." Remus nodded his head reluctantly. "Your lycanthropy doesn't determine your worth. It doesn't make you less human." Hermione said softly. Although Remus disagreed with the last statement, he refused to note that. "You deserve as much love and affection as anyone else. I'm sick and tired of you wallowing in self pitty! Why would I be here right now if I didn't love you? Why would I have punched Sirius in the face if I didn't care for you?" Hermione asked incredulously and Remus grinned.

"You punched Sirius in the face for me?" Remus said with a small smirk. Hermione tilted her head and bit her bottom lip in thought.

"Not exactly, but you get the point. Remus, you're my mate. So even if you don't feel _worthy_ of my love and affection, you're kind of stuck with it. You're kind of stuck with me." Hermione explained to him simply. The words seeped into Remus and calmed the ridges of his mind. He didn't completely believe that he was good enough for Hermione yet, but he knew that he never wanted to let her go, which was almost the same.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hey guys! So in this chapter I really wanted to showcase Sirius and Hermione's tempers, and I think I did that fairly well. I also wanted to showcase that Remus is STILL super insecure; it's something that he constantly struggles with. Anyways, please review and let me know what you think!**


	41. Chapter 41

**Greetings everyone! Hope you enjoy the chapter! And I just want to warn you that this chapter involves MATURE content, so continue on if you dare. Please review and tell me what you think.**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe, not me.**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

"I should get going. You probably need some rest after the exciting morning you had." Hermione raised an eyebrow at Remus, who flushed red.

"How long was I asleep?" He wondered. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and pursed her lips.

"It's around dinner time now, so maybe five hours." Hermione decided on as Remus winced at her words. He shook his head in shamed and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I know that doesn't mean a lot, but I never meant for you to feel like I was abandoning you. That's never what I intended. I was an arse." He admitted and Hermione nodded her head, completely agreeing. "Well?" Remus' eyes widened at Hermione after she remained silent. She was calm, and that scared Remus more than when she was angry. After a moment she turned to him, and her mouth cracked into a small grin.

"You were an arse," Hermione said simply and Remus snorted. "Like I said before, you should rest. We can talk more when you don't look so awful." And with that, Hermione placed a kiss on his forehead and walked out of the room.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

When she opened the door to leave, Sirius and James stumbled backwards, obviously trying act as though they were not just eavesdropping. James suddenly looked very interested on a picture on the wall. Sirius however seemed fascinated by the wallpaper; he tapped a finger on the walk and narrowed his eyes at the pale pattern.

"I'm not dim; I know you've just been listening." Hermione said once the door was shut. She snapped her fingers in front of the boys' faces when they ignored her, and James eyes widened as he took in her presence.

"Oh Hermione! You've finished talking to Remus! Wonderful!" James said and nudged Sirius next to him. Sirius turned around and had the same astonished look on his face. He clapped his hands in front of himself and gave Hermione a wide grin.

"Fantastic, how did it go? Did you two kiss and make up?" Sirius asked in an exaggerated cheerful tone. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him as she took in his bruised cheek. She had felt bad for punching him. They had both been under a great amount of stress that day, and she knew that they had both said things they were not proud of.

"I should go owl his mother, she's probably a wreck by now." Hermione muttered to the two boys as she leaned up against the wall and shook her head. "This is a mess. How am I supposed to go back to Remus' house?" Hermione asked as she shook her head.

"They'll just be happy that you've brought Remus back," James explained as he put a hand comfortingly on Hermione's shoulder.

"Do you know he's run away before?" She suddenly blurted out. She didn't know why she said it, and she knew Remus probably wouldn't want his friends to know, but she had to talk about this.

"Why?" Sirius' sarcastic smile faded and was replaced with familiar furrowed brows. "His mum's a bit strict, but his parents are nice people." He scratched the back of his head and tilted his head.

"I don't know," Hermione shrugged. "But if he runs away again, you better bet that I'll find a loophole so I'd be able to hex him." Hermione said firmly as she crossed her arms and Sirius chuckled, bringing Hermione's attention towards him. She sighed and shook her head before clearing her throat.

"I'm sorry for punching you Sirius," Hermione swallowed her pride and glanced up at Sirius. "It was…..immature of me…I shouldn't have done it..." Hermione finished through clenched teeth. Sirius nodded his head and shared a smirk with James. Hermione raised an eyebrow at their interaction and mouth parted. " _What_?" She asked incredulously.

"It's just…" James trailed off looking at Sirius for help. Sirius bit back a smile and shrugged his shoulders.

"You punch well," Sirius admitted and Hermione's frown broke and she felt her face flush red as she absentmindedly ran her fingers over the large scar that marked her left arm.

"So well actually, we think that you should do it more often." Sirius grinned.

"Agreed." James shared a similar smirk to Sirius. "Perhaps to Slytherins and Death Eaters though, instead of friends." Hermione felt her face go crimson and rolled her eyes.

"I'll punch whomever I please, thank you." Hermione said to the two boys with a flick of her hair. She took off then, and stalked down the hallway.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus woke up a little later and found himself wandering aimlessly throughout the house. He was instantly drawn to the downstairs study where he heard hush voices. His ears were sensitive; it would be the full moon next week, so his senses were becoming more active.

"Where do you think they could be?" Sirius was leaned in close to Hermione and James who were all sitting around the small coffee table. They had yet to notice Remus standing at the doorway, and he suddenly felt like he was interrupting something.

"I don't know!" Hermione said breathlessly as she shook her head. "We don't even know how many he's made," Hermione closed her eyes tightly and sighed. When she opened them, her head quickly snapped in Remus' direction. Remus stumbled back at the initial shock but relaxed when Hermione smiled at him.

"How are you feeling?" She wondered and Sirius and James' heads turned in his direction, grins on their faces. Remus took a few steps closer and nodded his head.

"A lot better," He awkwardly said as he took a seat across from James. "What's this all about?" Remus questioned as he pointed to the coffee table. There was a piece of parchment and notes scribbled all over it. He quickly glanced out the window and it looked to be night time. He quickly checked the clock that hung high on the wall, and it read; 3:35 A.M.

"Horcruxes," James said with a shiver and Remus nodded his head.

"You know about them now?" Remus asked James.

"I know about everything." James admitted with a small comforting smile. He reached over and squeezed Hermione's hand.

"You told him?" Remus turned to Hermione, a surprised expression on his face.

"He deserved to know." Hermione said quietly. Remus blinked at James. The future had been a lot for Remus to take in, and he even was able to watch it through a pensieve. James must have had to completely rely on Hermione and Sirius' honesty.

"How are you taking it?" Remus wondered.

"He vomited his dinner already," Sirius said. "But better than we thought he would."

"Its war." James said simply, although he still looked a bit out of it. "And Hermione's here to change what happen. The future she lived in. It's not our future anymore." James told the group. Remus admired his words. Spoken like the leader that James was.

"Have you been awake all this time?" Remus wondered as he looked at his three friends. Hermione's hair was frizzier than normal, and the dark circles under her eyes were apparent. Sirius normally sleek hair was messy as well, and his normally bright grey eyes were dull and tired looking. Even James' hair looked messier than normal, and his glasses stood crookedly on his pale face.

"Yes, there's been a lot to go over." Hermione admitted as she rubbed her eyes.

"Perhaps you should get some sleep?" Remus offered and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and then smirked mischievously.

"I'd much prefer going for a walk, care to join?" Hermione said as she stood up and held out a hand towards Remus. Remus stood up quickly and followed her out of the room, sending a curious glance to the two boys behind him, who were snickering. Hermione lead him out the front door and into the brisk night air.

"Fancied a walk?" Remus asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and nudged him with her hip.

"Actually, I fancied some alone time with you. And some fresh air." Hermione admitted as she wrapped a hand around his waist and leaned her head onto his chest. Remus pulled her closer and inhaled the scent of her hair. It smelled like chocolate and the smell right after it rained. Remus didn't realize how wonderful the scents smelled like until he had met her. He placed a tentative kiss on the top of her head, and she squeezed him tighter.

"I fancied some alone time with you as well," Remus said with a smirk and Hermione took half a step back and looked up at him, and then placed a kiss on his nose. Remus placed a hand in her hair and inhaled again, not able to get enough of her. He leaned down and kissed her head, then her neck, and then her collarbone. He hesitated at the spot where he so desperately wished to claim her. Remus heard Hermione inhale sharply, then wrapped an arm around Remus' neck and pulled him closer. Remus could hear Hermione's heart racing as her hands roamed his body. He went still as they rested on his chest, and then playfully pushed him away. Remus' eyes went wide as he watched Hermione run across the lawn, laughing loudly into the night. She ducked away into the forest behind James' house, still laughing like a lunatic.

"Hermione!" Remus called into the night, "It's too late for this!" Remus yelled loudly as he set himself into a speed walk, then jog, and then lastly a sprint as he chased after her.

It was unusually warm for a summer night, and Remus could smell the fresh grass. He inhaled sharply and could smell Hermione's scent which pointed deeper into the woods. With a mischievous grin and a roll of the eyes, Remus followed her.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

It had been one of the longest days in Hermione's life. She had completely reached past the point of exhaustion and was now fully wide awake. Or so she thought. She was panting now as she jumped over fallen trees and ducked under branches. She let out a loud laugh as she heard Remus yell for her again.

She didn't know why she had run from him; it had certainly been a lot less Hermione-like of her. But she was starting to feel a lot less like herself these days anyways. Perhaps it was being thrown back in time and having to grow up in an entirely different world than the one she was born into. She was changing, and she knew it. Whether it was for the best, she was unsure, but she knew she didn't exactly mind it. And she had wanted to have some fun.

"C'mon Hermione, seriously!" She could hear Remus groan loudly and Hermione burst into a fit of giggles before ducking behind a tree and resting. She panted heavily as she leaned her head against the rough bark. She was pretty deep into the woods, but she wasn't scared. If anything, she had never felt more alive. She could nearly hear her heart beating and she felt her pulse in the scar that tingled. Regaining her breath, Hermione slowly peered out from behind the tree and was surprised to not see Remus anywhere. It was nearly a week from the full moon, and she had thought he would have been able to sniff her out quite easily. She ran her hand over the bark as she bit her bottom lip.

Clearing her throat, Hermione grinned, "It was the best of times," Hermione called out into dark forest. She paused slightly waiting for a return. It was a game of Marco Polo, she thought, only it was their version. She raised an eyebrow when Remus ceased to reply and sighed loudly. She drummed her fingers absentmindedly on the trunk of the tree.

"It was the worst of times," A low growl said into Hermione's ear, causing her to jump. She could feel his breath on her neck, and slowly turned around with a wide grin on her face. Remus was in front of her, his breath eerily calm and his smile dangerous. "Although, I think that quote is utter rubbish," He admitted in a whisper, causing Hermione to playfully push him away, only Remus stopped her this time and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards his chest.

Hermione stumbled into him and let out another giggle, this time Remus laughed along as he rested his chin on her head. Hermione wrapped her arms around his chest and relaxed into him, smiling to herself. She frowned slightly when Remus pulled away, and stuck out her arm stubbornly to grab his wrist. In the midst of the movement, Remus' foot caught on a fallen tree branch, and he was suddenly hurled towards the ground. His arm was still tightly held in Hermione's and she stumbled as she fell, landing on top of him with a loud thud.

"Remus!" Hermione hissed as she supported herself on his chest and let out a soft groan. "You're so uncoordinated." She said with a small smirk as Remus glared at her from underneath.

He snorted out a laugh and shook his head, but made no move to get up. Hermione stared at him for a moment. She took in his pale eyes and his messy honey colored hair. The moonlight showed bright through the trees, giving off an iridescent glow, lighting up his face easily. Remus was smiling up at her, a stupid grin that sat lopsided on his face as he looked at her with utter adoration. Hermione shifted a bit uncomfortably on top of him, and Remus inhaled sharply and his eyes shut immediately. Hermione felt a familiar hardness press against her stomach through his jeans, and her eyes widened. She felt her face flush red as her head fell limply against his chest and she let out an audible sigh.

"Sorry, I—," Hermione paused as she remembered that the last time that she had placed herself on top of Remus, she was faced with rejection.

"No—" Remus choked out, "Its…Okay." He said breathily, "I—" He stopped then, looking away as a crimson blush raced over his face. "You don't have to get up…." He trailed off awkwardly, "If you don't want too!" He added a bit hastily, and Hermione relaxed on top of him. The whole situation felt so normal, like it was the most normal thing in the world. In a place where she didn't quite belong, and where she didn't really have a home, she found a home. She had found a home in Remus. And whether that was the safest thing to do, Hermione wasn't sure. But she was sure that she loved him.

"I don't want too," Hermione murmured quietly, and she felt Remus relax under her.

"I don't want you too," He quietly admitted and Hermione nuzzled herself into his neck, holding herself tightly against him. She felt Remus wrap his arm around her waist and squeeze her tightly, and then he let go and held her at an arms distance away. At first, Hermione was a bit off put by the sudden movement, but her frown softened as her eyes met Remus.

They held that gaze for a moment and Hermione tilted her head at Remus, her curls falling to one side of her head.

"What?" She asked a bit shyly, suddenly very aware of her position straddling Remus' waist.

"I just like looking at you," He said as he traced his hands down her sides where they landed on her hips. Hermione blushed and rolled her eyes. "I'm serious." Remus said a bit more firmly this time, his eyebrows furrowing down and his lips in a straight line. "You're beautiful."

Hermione smiled down at him as she shook her head. "You're not too bad yourself," She teased as she placed a kiss on Remus' neck, then another one on his collarbone. She could feel Remus stir underneath her as his hips bucked up to meet hers. Hermione felt Remus' hands rush to the bottom of her shirt, fumbling to lift it up. Hermione couldn't suppress the giggle that came out of her mouth as she watched Remus' strained face. He gave her shirt one last tug, then sighed, dropping his hands.

"Think that's funny, witch?" Remus challenged with a dangerous smirk. Hermione threw her head back and laughed while nodding her head. Remus raised a brow as Hermione rolled her eyes and reached the bottom of her shirt and with ease pulled it off her torso. She threw it a few feet away from Remus and gave him a challenging look. Remus' mouth was gaped open, his eyes wide as he took Hermione in.

"Your turn," She said greedily as she reached for the bottom of Remus' shirt. He hesitated and removed his hands from her hips and placed them gently over hers.

"It's not…pretty." He said slowly with a slight cringe. Hermione's hands loosened on the fabric and her grin faded. "It's pretty scarred up," He admitted with a sigh. "Just a warning."

Hermione's own mind flashed to the scar on her rib cage, from the fight at the Department on Ministry. It flashed to the large scar that went up her left arm. She shook her head and sighed. "Its okay, Remus." She said softly as she ran a hand over his chest. He nodded his head a bit reluctantly and then leaned up a bit, making it easier to lift his shirt off of him.

She realized she probably wasn't initially ready to see the numerous scars that tore through Remus' chest and back. Some were long and thin and looked relatively new. But others were old and faded, leaving a silvery mark that looked much like Hermione's own scar. Hermione's hands danced over his chest, tracing each scar that loitered his body. She paused over an especially nasty one that went from his neck to his elbow. Hermione swallowed as she looked evaluated the scar, her heart beating very loudly.

"I threw myself at a window," Remus said quietly. It took Hermione a moment to realize what he was talking about. Remus looked up at her expectantly, the look of expected rejection apparent in his eyes. Hermione cleared her throat and bent her arm to show him her elbow, and a small C marked scar that was placed daintily on it.

"I fell of a slide at my old muggle school," Hermione explained to him simply. Remus shared a small smile with her and continued the game. He pointed to his chin and tapped a very faded scar.

"I tripped and fell on a rock. My mother insisted on stitches, but my father patched it up quite nicely with his wand." Remus explained and Hermione tilted her head, and reached out to rub her hand softly over his chin. They continued this little game, talking about the numerous small scars all over their bodies. Some of the stories were comical, and others a bit more sad, but with each one, the two felt their bond tighten.

Hermione's eyes eventually fell to a particular bad one on Remus' shoulder. He tilted his head to look at the scar, and then nodded.

"I was seven I believe, I threw myself at the bars of my cage. I broke it." He said softly and Hermione winced at his words, feeling his sudden pain. His hand trailed over her exposed ribcage to a small scar. He ran his thumb over it carefully, before flickering his eyes up to meet Hermione's.

"Department of Mysteries. Antonin Dolohov." She said softly. Remus flinched at her words and closed his eyes tightly. Hermione continued though, picking a scar that was right below Remus' left eye.

"Scratched myself when I couldn't get out. After a while, the wolf needs to be freed. He gets mad when he isn't." He explained quietly and Hermione nodded her head, understanding. His eyes then traveled to the large scar on her left arm. His fingers danced over it and paused ever so slightly, touching down on it a bit harder. The tingling feeling she had grown so used to returned in waves, traveling all over her body. Remus looked up at Hermione, expecting an explanation for this scar.

"Someone who I really care about gave me this scar," Hermione explained softly. "He gave it to me because he needed to protect me, he saved me. And I love him." She was whispering now, her eyes never leaving Remus'. It happened quickly, Remus' lips were crashing into Hermione's in a desperate need to be closer. She felt Remus' hand wrap tightly around her waist, and then suddenly they were flipped, and now Remus was on top, and Hermione was lying down on the damp soft forest floor.

Hermione gasped in shock at the sudden change in position, causing Remus to crack a smile. Her hand that was lost in his mess of curls tugged on his hair, begging him to come closer. Remus obliged and gently lowered himself down on top of Hermione, trailing kisses from her jaw, down to her neck. Hermione ran her hands over his chest, touching every bit of him that she could. Her hands slowly found their way lower down his torso, finally reaching his belt buckle. Remus growled loudly in her ear as she fumbled with his jeans.

After a few more moments of hopeless fumbling, Remus let out a breathless laugh.

"Here," he rasped as he balanced himself on one elbow as he undid his pants. Hermione felt her heart beat race as Remus struggled with his jeans. She wiggled out of her own jeans as Remus nipped at her ear. Hermione felt a rush of heat flush through her body and she inhaled deeply.

"Are you okay?" Remus asked shakily as he steadied himself over Hermione. Hermione nodded her head and gave him a small smile. Remus continued placing kisses down her neck, pausing slightly over the tender spot where her neck met her shoulders, before continuing down over the rest of her body. He paused at her stomach and then lifted his head and brought it back to Hermione's, his face now only inches from hers.

"Okay," was all Hermione said, and Remus nodded his head as he paused himself above her entrance. He gently rested his forehead on Hermione's and the two stayed like that for a moment. She nodded her head once more and then Remus slowly entered her. Hermione inhaled sharply as Remus placed gentle kisses down her neck. They continued like this for a while. Soon, Remus' breathing became heavier and his movements jerked with need.

"Hermione," Remus panted into Hermione's ear. Shivers spread down Hermione's spine as she pressed herself into him. She felt is teeth trail down her neck and pause at that familiar spot. Hermione noticed the pause and inhaled sharply, tilting her head slightly to the left to bare her neck even more.

"Are you sure?" Remus asked in a breathy, desperate voice. Hermione nodded her head and choked out a reply.

"Please," Hermione pleaded, "Remus." Remus nodded his head once before kissing her shoulder, then biting down into it.

~Until Next Time~

 **Alright so writing smut is completely out of my element, but I have always wanted to try it, so please tell me how I did. Anyways, so I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank you so much for reading!**


	42. Chapter 42

**Greetings Everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter, please review and tell me what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione shifted as she looked into the pale mirror in front of her. Her arm was stuck out at an awkward angle, jerking the collar of her shirt down to expose the mark that Remus had so recently given her. She ran her fingers over it dutifully; admiring the whiteness of the scar and how it had already faded and looked like it had been there for years. It stood out quite prominently against the skin on her neck, almost as if it was screaming out for attention. Hermione shrugged at this, figuring that the entire point of the mark was so that Remus could claim her, so that others would know that she was _his_.

The night before had been a completely new experience for Hermione. She had felt as though a spark had been ignited within her, a spark that she could feel, deep within her chest, and spread out evenly throughout her body. She was already completed by herself, needing nothing to make herself feel whole, but somehow she still felt fuller. Somehow she felt like she was something more than herself. It was almost as if she could sense Remus' presence with her. Almost. She had wondered if this was normal side effects to being claimed. Hermione had contemplated looking up books on this particular issue, but decided that it would be useless, considering this type of thing was so rare and unusual.

Hermione tugged the collar of her shirt over her scar in a weak attempt to cover the mark. She was definitely not ready to have that conversation with Sirius and James, or the Lupins for that matter. She was due to return to Remus' house with Remus in the afternoon, and she was less than impressed. However, Hermione thought that anywhere would be better than being alone at Hogwarts. Hermione looked at the dark circles underneath her eyes, and the added frizz of her hair. She had yet to shower from the night before, and was certain she still had leaves and dirt in her hair. She made herself as presentable as possible before stepping out of the bathroom and heading into the kitchen for breakfast. There was plenty of noise from the kitchen, stemming from the three Marauders. James was hunched over a quidditch magazine, flipping threw it eagerly as Remus and Sirius tossed an apple back and forth, throwing it high into the air and then letting it drop low as they caught it. However, Hermione's attention was toward a small house elf that was standing in the kitchen with the boys.

"Does Mr. Potter want pancakes?" The small house elf who stood near the stove looking around the room with wide eyes squeaked. "And Mr. Black and Mr. Lupin as well?" The house-elf wondered.

"Yes please, Evy. And also probably some for Hermi—," James looked up from the magazine he was skimming and spotted Hermione. "Oi! Hermione, g'morning!" He said and Evy nodded her head hurriedly and scurried over to the stove.

"Good Morning," Hermione said cheerfully as she stole the apple that Sirius was holding and bit down into it with a sly grin. Sirius grumbled at her actions and rolled his eyes as Hermione took a seat next to Remus.

"What has you in such a great mood?" Sirius raised an eyebrow and Hermione shrugged with a small smirk, trying to hide her obvious happiness.

"I slept well," Hermione countered cleanly and Sirius snorted.

"What?" Hermione narrowed her eyes and Sirius smirked back.

"We were awake all night," Sirius reminded Hermione who shrugged absentmindedly.

"The few hours I slept were good then." She said as she took another bite of the apple, causing Remus to chuckle next to her.

"Really, because your dark circles say otherwise," Sirius quipped with a wink and Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and snorted.

"Er—Hermione, what's that?" James asked as he leaned forward and plucked a leaf from the back of Hermione's nest of hair. His eyes widened as he inspected it, and shared a knowing glance with Sirius who then raised his eyebrows at Hermione.

"A leaf?" Sirius questioned with a smirk that made Hermione self conscious. He shared a wink with James and Hermione paled. Her eyes widened in realization and she whipped her head in Remus' direction.

"You told them?!" She shouted a horrified expression on her face. "I can't believe you told them!" She hissed as her facing paled and her heart raced. Remus shook his head reverently and put his hand up in defense.

"Hermione, I didn't!" He swore and Hermione's face went bright red as she turned around to face the other two boys. Sirius was doubled over in giggles, and James eyes were wide and his jaw dropped.

"What!" James screeched, and Hermione jumped over the table and clamped a hand down over his mouth. He mumbled against her hand and made rude gestures with his hands, causing Sirius to laugh even harder, and Remus to blush.

"In James' woods?" Sirius asked as he inspected the leaf. "You joking?" He wondered with a crooked smile in between laughs. Hermione shoved him hard, causing his chair to topple over and Sirius to dramatically scream as he fell onto the ground.

"Stop screaming! James' parents will hear!" Hermione pleaded as she nudged at Sirius with her foot.

"Don't worry Hermione, they're gone for the day." James said quickly, and then he paled again.

"In _my_ woods?" He gasped. Hermione turned to Remus quickly, begging him for a way out of this conversation, but Remus only shrugged.

"I—" Hermione began to explain, but James let out a loud whining noise.

"I used to play in those woods!" He said as he threw his arms up in the air in a defeated fashion.

"They're—they're tainted now!" James accused as his head limply fell down to rest on the table. Evy the House-elf kept glancing over anxiously at the four of them, a pan in one hand, and a spoon in the other.

"They are not _tainted_!" Hermione cried as she stomped her foot down. "Can we _please_ stop talking about this!" She pleaded and the boys' sniggering quieted down. Hermione cleared her throat and turned to James. "Where are your parents today?" She asked as a change of subject. James jolted up straight at the sudden question and nodded his head.

"Er, meeting with Dumbledore I think. Order business I think," James said as he greedily looked at the pancake the Evy had just plopped down onto his plate.

"I thought they weren't in the Order," Hermione said a bit anxiously as she took a bite of her own pancakes. James finished chewing and ran a finger through his hair.

"They weren't, but with the recent attacks and with me joining, they thought that it's probably best they do." James explained and Hermione nodded. The Order was recruiting people left and right. Hermione thought that Lily, Marlene and Alice would soon be invited to join as well.

"I just don't want anyone to get hurt," Hermione admitted quietly and Remus put a comforting arm around her.

"It's not your fault if they do," He reminded her and Hermione nodded her head, not truly agreeing.

After breakfast, Hermione led the way upstairs to pack up her bag. Once she entered the small bedroom that was loaned to her, she felt Remus' arms wrap tightly around her waist and goose bumps spread throughout her body. Hermione relaxed with his touch and leaned into him, sighing in relief as she turned around to face Remus.

"Hi," Hermione said simply with a smirk and Remus inhaled deeply, and then sighed with contentment. Hermione raised an eyebrow at his actions and Remus blushed.

"You smell good," He commented simply and Hermione's eyebrow arched and she laughed.

"I haven't showered in a few days, so I'm not sure what you're talking about." She said with a laugh and Remus shrugged.

"You smell like me," He murmured into her ear and inhaled again and Hermione's eyes widened as she took in his words. Remus leaned in and gently kissed her lips, before pulling away and smiling. Hermione was about to say something, when Remus' hands trailed over her shoulders until it found his mark, and he carefully traced the outline of it, sending shivers all throughout Hermione's body.

"Do you feel different?" Hermione wondered suddenly, thinking of the fire that she felt inside her own body. Remus nodded his head eagerly and grinned widely.

"Yes." Remus admitted with a timid smile. "Like something's burning inside you, like you feel more complete or something. Bloody magic." Remus offered and Hermione eagerly nodded as well.

"Yes, exactly!" Hermione agreed excitedly. "It almost feels like I have a better sense of you, like I'm more aware." Hermione admitted, not quite sure if anything of what she was saying was making sense, but not really caring.

"I felt that before last night, but it feels stronger." Remus admitted to Hermione.

"I haven't done a lot of research on this sort of thing though. Do you think that all of this is normal?" She asked a bit quieter and Remus slowly nodded his head.

"It feels normal to me," Remus said softly and Hermione leaned in for another hug, her head pressing tightly against his chest. After a moment, she sighed and pulled away.

"We have to get ready to leave," She reminded him and Remus groaned, making his feelings of going home very apparent. "I'll be with you, it will be okay." Hermione smiled at him as she took a hold of his arm and squeezed tightly.

"I know," He muttered and Hermione nudged him playfully.

"We still have a few days left," She reminded him again and Remus couldn't help the smirk that toyed with his face.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Saying goodbye to James and Sirius was hard, but Remus knew that he would see them come full moon, and tried to think on the bright side. He was dreading going back to his house. Hermione had written his mother earlier and had explained that the two had stayed the night at James' house, but Remus knew that their might still be some awkward tension between him and his parents.

He had done this before, but never to this extent. Hermione being with him was surely to only add to the embarrassment of returning to his home with his head hung down. He knew that his mother had felt awful about what had happen, she usually always does. But he also knew his mother probably would want to talk about this when he got back, which was exactly what Remus was dreading.

His father on the other hand was more understanding of Remus' ways. Remus was like his father in numerous ways, and Lyall was sure to know what Remus was going through.

"See you on the other side," Hermione said as she squeezed Remus hand firmly before he stepped into the fireplace. He smiled shortly at the three of them before muttering his address and disappearing into the green flames.

The first thing he noticed when he returned home was the smell that the chocolate chip cookies that hung in the air. They were his favorite and he knew that his mother was making them as a sort of welcome home gift. She usually did this after Remus returned from one of his 'adventures,' as his mother liked to call them.

Hermione appeared in the fireplace only a few moments later. Her eyes widened as she took a deep inhale and then sighed with a hum of pleasure. Remus grinned at her reaction and nudged her gently, causing Hermione's eyes to flash open.

"Smells like cookies," She whispered into Remus' ear, making him instantly relax. Remus' ears twitched as he heard a clutter of dishes in the kitchen and then footsteps drawing nearer to them. He could smell his mother before he saw her, and his stomach tightened and Hermione squeezed his hand tightly next to him, relaxing him.

"Remus?" His mother called and then appeared through the hallway, oven mittens sat tightly on her hands and her hair in a mess behind her head. The paleness of her skin and the dark circles that hung under her eyes reminded Remus of his own, and he realized that she probably didn't get much sleep last night. Her eyes lit up as she saw the two; her furrowed brows relaxed and a smile grew on her face.

"Hello," Remus said tightly, a small smile resting on his face. His mother blinked and then closed the space between the three of them, and wrapped both of the teens into a tight hug.

"I was awful Remus, forgive me. And I'm sorry Hermione; I was completely out of place." Hope said urgently as tears started to form in her eyes. Remus rolled his eyes and held in a loud groan that fought to escape his mouth. Of course his mother was being dramatic. Of course she was making a scene out of this in front of Hermione. Remus just wanted to _forget_ about this entire situation.

"It's okay," Remus reassured his mother quickly with a pleading look, "really mum, its fine." He repeated and his mother frowned but nodded her head anyways. A few seconds of awkward silence followed his words, causing the three of them to be quite uncomfortable. Sensing the tension, Hermione cleared her throat.

"Are you baking cookies? They smell delicious." Hermione commented and Remus sighed in relief at the change of topic. Hope nodded her head eagerly and motioned towards the kitchen. Remus didn't realize how much he appreciated Hermione until that moment. Recently, she somehow always seemed to be on the same page as him. She could easily recognize how a situation made him feel, and took it upon herself ease it over and make Remus feel more comfortable. He desperately wished that he pick Hermione up and squeeze her tight in thanks. He also desperately wished he could relive the later part of last night over again. For the most part, he just desperately wished that he could have some alone time with Hermione.

"I have a batch in the oven, but I have a few made already." Hope smiled. "Would you like some?" She offered and Hermione eagerly nodded her head, flashing her eyes in Remus' direction and winking.

"That would be wonderful," Hermione urged.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

As Hope led the three into the kitchen, Remus leaned down into Hermione's ear.

"Thank you," He breathed in a low, nearly inaudible voice that Hermione was positive she wouldn't have even been able to hear if had not been so close to the full moon. There were some perks to being claimed, however. Hermione leaned back into Remus can gave him a small shrug.

"For what?" She asked. Changing the topic could hardly be considered a favor. The situation had been awkward enough, and Hermione could nearly feel Remus convulsing next to her. It had been an act of common courtesy. However, being able to commit such an act for someone you cared so deeply about was all the more better.

"You know what," Remus pressed as his hand gently rested upon her back, and Hermione murmured appreciatively, ignoring Remus' last comment.

As they entered the kitchen, the smell became much more apparent to Hermione. Dozens of cookies were spread out throughout the entire kitchen. Some sitting measly on the counter, but others stacked in piles up to Hermione's nose. She looked around in amazement and found herself chuckling and shaking her head.

"A few batches made," Hermione repeated Hope's words into Remus ear. Remus smirked at her words and shrugged before taking a cookie from the tallest stack and biting into it.

"She bakes when she's stressed," Remus admitted quietly as Hope pulled another batch of cookies out of the oven and laid them haphazardly onto the counter.

"I hope you like chocolate chip cookies Hermione, they're Remus' favorite." Hope said as she put another batch into the oven. "And Lyall likes them quite a bit as well." She said cheerfully. Hermione grinned at her words, and nodded her head.

"Chocolate chip is wonderful." Hermione said as she took a bite of the cookie that Hope had shoved into her hands. "These are wonderful, they taste just like—," Hermione stopped talking, realizing that she was about to say Mrs. Weasley's name, as her own mother just wasn't a fan of cooking. The awkward silence in the room ensued and Hermione felt her face go bright red, then pale.

"Where's dad?" Remus said quickly, picking up right where Hermione had left off. Hope didn't seem to miss a beat as she replied.

"Work is probably holding him up," Hope admitted with a sigh as she whipped away a bead of sweat on her forehead. "Your father's been working extra hard these past couple of months, he's in line for that promotion." Hope said knowingly as she pointed her finger at her son. Next to Hermione, Remus nodded his head, his cheeks bright red.

"I think I'm going to use the shower," Hermione spoke at once, remembering the leaf that James had found in her hair just earlier that day. "Is that alright?" Hermione added and Hope nodded her head as she duck down into the oven once again.

"I'll show you to the bathroom," Remus said a bit louder than normal, and Hermione mentally face palmed. She had _already_ stayed there a night; she had _known_ where their bathroom was. Hope didn't pay attention to this though; she was much too focused on her baking. Once they were out of the kitchen, Hermione raised an eyebrow at Remus and cocked her hip.

"Show me to the bathroom?" Hermione questioned with a smirk, "Remus, I know where your shower is." She told him simply and Remus blushed. Before he could answer however, Hermione was pulled into a tight hug, Remus' arms wrapped completely around her and his face buried in Hermione's neck. Hermione blinked as she looked down at Remus and couldn't help but snort.

"Remus, what are you doing? I reassure you that I'll make it out of the shower alive." Hermione teased and Remus mumbled a reply into her shoulder. "I didn't quite catch that." Hermione replied and Remus sighed, slowly pulling away.

"I just wanted to remember your scent, just like this." He explained to her, his face surprisingly not showing a tint of red.

"Because I smell like you?" She wondered with a quirked eyebrow and Remus tilted his head in deliberation.

"No, not exactly." He decided on. "You smell like me, don't get me wrong, but that's not it. You still smell the same as you normally do, just stronger I guess. Better." He explained to her sweetly and Hermione scrunched up her nose.

She leaned her head down towards her armpit and inhaled and her face contorted. "I smell horrendous!" She pinched her nose and stifled a gag, causing Remus to laugh.

"You smell wonderful," Remus countered and Hermione gave him a doubting look, but grinned anyways

~Until Next Time~

 **Thank you so much for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought!**


	43. Chapter 43

**Greetings Everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had MAJOR writers block when attempting to write this, so I'm just glad that I finally got it over with. Please tell me what you think and review! Thanks so much for reading!**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus was thankful that his parents hadn't made a big deal about his returning. His mother usually went to great extents to discuss the prior events, but to Remus' surprise, so far she hadn't. He had a feeling that the change had something more to do with Hermione being a guest at their house for the time being.

Remus and Hermione lounged in Remus' couch, both clutching books in their hands, and both completely immersed in them. Remus was perched at the far end of the couch, and Hermione was sprawled across it, with her head resting in Remus' lap. They had only been reading for a few minutes when Hermione cranked her head up towards Remus'. Remus attempted to ignore her, and pretended to be interested in his book. He heard Hermione snort with frustration and she wiggled in his lap in another attempt for attention. Remus shifted to get more comfortable underneath her and flipped a page in his book, only making Hermione more desperate.

As he finished the first paragraph Hermione shoved her hand in between the book and Remus' face and began waving it around violently, causing Remus to jerk away and glare down at her.

"Do you mind?" He asked dryly with a smirk. Hermione tilted her head and innocently shook it, causing the cascade of curls to bounce.

"Not at all," She said politely as she batted her eye lashes. Remus rolled his eyes and turned his attention back towards the book. He had only gotten through the first half of a sentence when the book was ripped out of his hands. Hermione stood up quickly and bounded towards the other side of the room, the book in one hand and a mischievous smirk in the other. Remus sighed and rolled his eyes as he stuck his hand out for the book.

"Give me the book," He drawled in a monotonous voice. "Hermione, give it to me." Remus demanded as Hermione shrugged her shoulders with a wink.

"Remus, I like to read, don't get me wrong. But we only get so few days together, maybe we could spend them…Oh, I don't know… talking?" She offered. Remus blinked and then his jaw dropped.

" _You_ suggested that we read!" Remus said defensively and Hermione shrugged. If he were being honest, the only reason why he was reading in the first place was because Hermione suggested it.

"I've changed my mind," Hermione said simply and Remus snorted.

"The normal thing to do would be to calmly state so. Not interrupt my perfectly good reading time." Remus said obviously and Hermione stuck her tongue out.

After a moment, Remus rolled his eyes. "I forbid you to spend any more time with Sirius; you're acting just like him." Remus said with a stern face, but his voice was light hearted. Hermione scoffed at this and folded her arms.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry, here's your book." Hermione replied shyly as she stuck out the book in front of Remus.

"Thank you," Remus said matter-of-factly as he went to reach out for the book. As his fingers brushed the cover, Hermione whipped it away from quickly and gave him a very Sirius-esque grin. Remus lifted an eyebrow impatiently. "Hermione, be reasonable." Remus said and Hermione rolled her eyes at him. Remus had had enough; he darted towards a squealing Hermione and picked her up. She squirmed in his grasps and let out a loud giggle, causing Remus to chuckle. He was about to drop Hermione down onto the couch, when he heard footsteps faintly trailed towards the room.

"Remus, Hermione! Oh!" Hope gasped as she saw the two teens in a compromising position. Remus let go of Hermione and she fell with a loud thud onto the couch.

"Yes mum?" Remus attempted to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"Remus, would you two mind running down to the bakery. I have a few things to pick up and I have food in the oven?" Hope asked. "If you're not busy," She added hastily and Remus felt himself blush. He shared a quick glance with Hermione, who nodded her head eagerly.

"Yes, we'll go." Remus decided on and turned towards his mother again. Hope nodded thankfully and rushed back into the kitchen.

"Here's the list of what I need, and here is the money." Hope said as she dashed back into the living room and shoved the contents into Remus hands. Remus paused and sent Hermione a look, when Hope scoffed.

"Well hurry along now, I don't have all day." Hope said as she shoved the two out of the door.

"I see where you get your patience from," Hermione teased and Remus rolled his eyes as he turned towards his house and shrugged.

"We better get going; it's a bit of a walk." Remus warned as he led Hermione down the small path that led to a rickety road. The two continued like that for a while, Hermione's hand found Remus' and clasped it in her own.

"Tell me a story from back in your own time," Remus asked suddenly and Hermione raised an eyebrow, but smirked anyways.

"What type of story are you interested in hearing?" Hermione said with a small, distant smile.

"Any type, one that makes you smile." Remus said as he turned towards her. Hermione pursed her lips in thought and then she laughed loudly to herself.

"Back before Hogwarts, before I knew I was a witch, I had a particularly rude neighbor boy." Hermione began and Remus raised an eyebrow, urging her to continue. "His name was Robbie Finkle and he was an absolute horror." Remus laughed at this and Hermione continued, eagerly nodding her head. "You laugh now, but that boy caused me so much trouble growing up. He was always pulling my hair and pushing me around. Obviously he was an all around delightful boy." Hermione finished sarcastically and smiled at the thought, and then shook her head.

"He sounds like a bully," Remus noted and Hermione rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Oh yes, he was nearly worse than Malfoy." She said a bit bitterly, and then a large grin grew on her face. "One day, my parents had a dinner date with another couple, so they sent me over to Robbie Finkle's house to be watched."

"How dare they!" Remus teased as he covered his mouth in mock horror. Hermione grinned and gently nudged his side.

"When they told me, I don't think I've ever cried so much." Hermione said with a frown. Remus shifted uncomfortably, not understanding why this story would make her smile, but he didn't say anything. "But I packed my bag with my books, and I marched over to Robbie's house."

"And look, you survived!" Remus teased and Hermione nudged him again.

"Hush!" Hermione hissed and then cleared her throat. "The moment I stepped foot in the door, Robbie ripped my bag of books right out of my hands and ran off."

"What a prat," Remus stated and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"When I asked for my books back, he laughed at me and told me that I'd have to kiss him." Hermione cringed at the thought and snorted. "He took my books, and I couldn't do anything about it!" Hermione cried. "So, I kissed him." She finished simply and then let out a loud laugh.

"Then what happened?" Remus wondered with a smile.

"He started screaming, or he tried to, but his lips were glued shut, and he couldn't open them. I remember being so thrilled that I got revenge for him bullying me. Back then I didn't understand how it happened, but when I got my letter to Hogwarts it all made sense." Hermione finished with a grin. "It was the first bit of magic I remembered doing."

Remus suddenly realized why this memory was so important to her. It was the beginning of a life that she was destined to live. It was the beginning of not just being ordinary. It was the beginning of a life full of magic and adventure.

"Whatever happened to Robbie Finkle?" Remus asked with a small smile.

"He never bothered me again," Hermione said and the two burst into laughter. Remus stared down at Hermione, admiring the content smile on her face.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione and Remus wandered into the small bakery, both of which were enjoying the smells that were hanging in the air.

"I'll be right back," Remus said as he fished the list his mother gave him out of his pocket, and headed towards the back of the small bakery. Hermione smiled at him and bent down to look at the different types of breads that lined the bottom shelf.

"Er— Excuse me Miss," someone called from behind her. Hermione spun around quickly and muttered an apology.

"Oh, Richard! Look at those pastries!" A woman called to the man from the opposite side of the bakery. Hermione cocked an ear at the eerily familiar voice and narrowed her eyes at the man in front of her. He looked familiar, extremely familiar. He was only a bit older than Hermione and Remus, but Hermione saw the wedding ring on his finger. She recognized the ring. She recognized his face.

"Helen, hold on a second." Richard said. Hermione remained staring at him, not blinking and not moving. "Are you alright?" Richard asked. Hermione snapped out of hit and nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm fine." She said quietly, still staring at the man. Helen walked up next holding a bag full of treats in one hand and leisurely put her arm around her husband.

"Oh hello," Helen said with a smile. Hermione recognized that smile. It was Hermione's smile, the same smile that she had gotten from her mother. Hermione's eyes trailed over to the messy mop of curls that sat on Helen's head and over Richards light brown eyes. They were her eyes. These were her parents.

"Hermione!" Remus called to her as he walked up to her with an armful of sweets. He smiled at her then turned towards the couple, and his jaw fell.

"Have you finished shopping?" Hermione turned to Remus and asked quietly. He nodded his head, but the questioning look never left his face. "Let's leave, I don't feel too well." Hermione breathed as she led the way out of the bakery. Once Hermione opened the door, she sprinted over to an alleyway and fell against the wall. Remus chased after her, reaching her just before she burst into tears. Remus quickly set the bag of groceries down and held Hermione tightly in his arms.

"Those were your parents," He asked quietly. Hermione stifled a sob and nodded her head. "I'm sorry," Remus whispered into her ear and held her tighter. After a few minutes, Hermione stopped crying and stepped back.

"I'm not sad, I'm happy. I'm happy that they're okay." Hermione said softly. And she was happy. The thought of visiting her parents had been a constant in the back of her head, but she had no way of knowing where they would be.

"Are you sure? I can go back there—"

"I promise I'm okay Remus," Hermione smiled up at him through her tears, thankful to have him there for her.

The rest of the week past without incident and soon Hermione was due to return back to Hogwarts. She had been soaking up as much time with Remus that she could and tried to put the thought of running into her parents in the back of her mind. She had so much to worry about; she didn't need the run in with her parents to cloud her judgments.

Hermione knew that at Hogwarts, she would probably be kept prisoner inside the large castle. Although it was nearing the full moon, and both Remus and Hermione were growing a bit antsier; they had yet to actually snap at each other, but there had been times when Hermione had desperately wanted to hex Remus.

Hermione gently knocked on Remus' door. She could hear fumbling inside and a second later, the door swung open and a wide eyed Remus stood in the doorway, staring at her. His hair was messed up and his eyes kept darting around the room. The nearing full moon was definitely making him antsy; Hermione was feeling it as well.

"Hello," He breathed quickly and then jerked Hermione inside his room and hugging her tightly. Hermione snorted at his movements and managed to wiggle out of the hug.

"I was coming to see if you were awake," Hermione explained and Remus nodded his head shortly and let out a low pitched whining noise.

"Do you have to leave today?" He pleaded and Hermione sighed and rested her head against his chest.

"I don't want either," She reminded him and Remus rested his chin on the top of her head, an arm lazily wrapped around her waist. Hermione could hear Remus inhale, and then exhale with a breath of satisfaction. She wanted to stay with Remus for forever.

"Maybe if you wrote Dumbledore…" Remus trailed off. Hermione shook her head and cupped Remus' face in her palms before kissing him. She pulled away and lifted an eyebrow before shaking her head.

"I have to go," Hermione stated. "I have a wizarding world that I need to save from a tyrannical sociopath, remember?" Hermione said sarcastically with a hint of bitterness, and Remus couldn't help but chuckle.

"Trust me, I never forget." He said in a low voice. Hermione looked up at Remus again and sighed. There was a slight pause before she completely threw herself at him. Her arms found their way tangled in Remus' mop of messy curls and her legs wrapped around Remus' hips. Her lips crashed into his hard, and Remus stumbled back at the initial impact. It took only a moment or Remus to relax and wrap his harms tightly around Hermione. Remus stumbled over the piles of clothes in his room and Hermione felt her back slam hard against a wall. She pulled away from their heavy kissing and Remus' eyes slowly blinked open, a questioning look on his face.

"Your parents," Hermione gasped suddenly and Remus shook his head knowingly as if waving off the idea.

"Dad's at work." He said and then leaned in to place a kiss on Hermione's neck. "Mum's shopping." Remus explained and then crashed his lips back into Hermione's, grinding himself against her in the process. Hermione let out a faint moan and held onto Remus tightly. She wanted to ask Remus if he was positive that his parents were gone, but the words failed to escape her mouth when he pressed himself against her.

Hermione inhaled sharply and ran her hands threw Remus' hair, murmuring sighs of pleasure into his mouth. Remus' hands roamed over Hermione's body, slowly pausing over her chest, and then subtly dragging his thumbs over Hermione's breasts, causing her to shiver and toss her head back against the wall. His hands trailed over her collar bone, onto her shoulder, and pausing to caress her scar. Hermione felt a violent shutter jolt threw her body and grasped Remus' shoulders tightly.

"Bed," Hermione breathed urgently, her hands yet to stop roaming over Remus' body. Remus nodded his head quickly and led the two over to his bed. Hermione fell onto the bed with a thud, and Remus growled as he climbed over her. Hermione felt her skin prickle as Remus reached for the hem of her shirt and jerked it up, exposing her bare stomach. Hermione helped wiggle out of her shirt and then quickly reached for Remus'. He sat up and tugged his shirt over his head, revealing his scar covered chest. Hermione greedily reached up for Remus impatiently, a soft whimpering noise leaving her throat. He nodded his head and was soon leaning over Hermione once again. Hermione reached for his pajama bottoms and tugged on them impatiently.

"You first," Remus rasped as his hands fumbled with Hermione's pants. She arched her back as Remus dragged them off of her hips and lazily threw them across the room. Hermione clicked her tongue impatiently and tilted her head, her eyes darting to Remus' pajama bottoms. He shook his head with a laugh and yanked them off. Hermione wrapped a leg around Remus' waist and flipped them over. Remus' eyes blinked wide at the sudden change in position, and Hermione giggled at his facial expression. Hermione leaned over Remus, planting kisses along the scar that ran from his chest to his face. Remus groaned against her touch and bucked up his hips to meet hers. Hermione pulled away teasingly and Remus' head thrashed back in frustration, needing friction.

"You're killing me Hermione," Remus groaned as her hands dipped down lower. "Seriously killing me." He repeated, causing Hermione to giggle. She pulled her hand away reluctantly, and then moved to straddle him again. Remus inhaled sharply at the sudden contact and Hermione pressed herself against him. She heard Remus sigh in pleasure as she placed kisses along his neck, pausing at the same place where Remus had marked her.

Slowly, she sunk down onto him, and Remus hissed in the sudden release. She rested her hands on his chest, absentmindedly running her hands over his scars as she grinded against him. Remus' hands found their place on Hermione's hips, tightly holding her closely. She was almost certain she would have bruises from the pressure, but found she didn't mind the slightest. Hermione leaned down, carefully balancing herself on his chest. She trailed kisses on his jaw line and down his neck.

"Gods you're perfect," Remus rasped as Hermione gently nipped at his neck. She continued trailing kisses down until she reached the familiar crevice between his neck and shoulder. She felt Remus beneath her go rigid, and she bit down hard into his shoulder, claiming him, just as he did her.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think and review! Thank you so much for reading!**


	44. Chapter 44

**Greetings Everyone! I hope you enjoy this chapter; it has a lot in it I think so I hope you like it!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I unfortunately do not. Oh well.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

And just like that, Hermione was back at Hogwarts. She flooed back into to Dumbledore's office, and was surprised to find it empty. Hermione wandered around it for a small while, until the large red phoenix screeched loud enough to scare her down the stairs.

She had expected Dumbledore to be in his office, that's how these things usually went about. She wandered down the corridors aimlessly nearly for an hour, trying to find someone, anyone in the castle. Hermione was about to give up and head to her the Gryffindor common rooms, when she tripped over and landed hard on her knees. Hermione cursed quietly under her breath and stood up, swiftly turning to see what she had tripped over. A small white all of fur stood at her feet, his head tilted and eyes wide.

"Oh! Khons!" Hermione gasped with a smile and easily lifted the cat up into her arms. "You wouldn't believe the week I had. I'll tell you all about it later." Hermione told the cat as she scratched the spot between his ears that he particularly liked. Hermione began walking back towards her common room when Khons let out a loud hiss and struggled to free himself from her arms. Taken aback, Hermione's arms dropped, letting Khons fall to the floor and dash down the corridor in the opposite direction.

"Khons!" Hermione hissed as the cat darted around the corner. Hermione rolled her eyes and set into a slow jog, running after her cat. She hadn't even realized where she was when the cat stopped in front of two large doors.

"The hospital wing?" Hermione gasped as she stared down at Khons who was mewling at her feet. "Why'd you bring me to the hospital wing?" Hermione whispered as she plucked him up from the ground and placed a kiss on his forehead. She was about to turn around and leaved, until she heard voices coming from inside the hospital wing. Hermione paused and narrowed her eyes and Khons, who Hermione thought if he could've, he would have shrugged back at her. Hermione gently pressed her ear against the door, hoping to catch some of the conversation.

"What are they doing in Hogsmeade to begin with?" A gruff voice wondered. Hermione heard some other scattered talking, and then finally, Dumbledore's voice.

"Alastor, I believe he is after the girl," He said quietly and Hermione's eyes widened. _What were they talking about?_

"Albus, it seems that you have a visitor." The same gruff voice grunted, and suddenly the hospital wing doors burst open, leaving Hermione standing there in front of the group, with a large sheepish smile on her face.

"Ah, Ms. Granger, you've come back from your trip." Dumbledore exclaimed happily, and Hermione slowly nodded her head. "Delightful," Dumbledore's eyes shined brightly at her. Hermione's eyes darted around the room and saw Dumbledore, a much younger Alastor Moody, a sickly and pale looking Dorcas Meadows laying in a hospital bed, the Prewett twins, and a fussy looking Madam Pomfrey.

"Hermione!" Dorcas choked out from her bed, before entering into another coughing fit. "Hermione I need—," Dorcas was interrupted by an upset Madam Pomfrey, who was fussing around with medicine and huffing quite loudly.

"What you _need_ Ms. Meadows, is rest!" Madam Pomfrey said sharply as she readjusted the pillows from underneath a groaning Dorcas. Hermione found the situation to be very….Strange. What had Dorcas needed to say to her? Hermione felt uneasy as she looked around the room at the four other adults.

"Yes, I've only just returned a few minutes ago." Hermione explained slowly, her eyes never leaving Dorcas. She cleared her throat after an awkward moment and then turned back to Dumbledore.

"Do you want me to wait outside?" She asked a bit awkwardly. She had thought that Dumbledore looked rather busy at the moment.

"No use I'd say, she'd just be listening in anyways!" Moody grunted and the Prewett twins grinned behind him. Hermione's face went bright red in shame.

"I was not listening!" Hermione felt the sudden urge to defend herself, she didn't like being looked at like a child, and suddenly she felt like a very small one.

Moody pointed to his magical eye and snorted, "I saw you," He reminded Hermione who paled, instantly feeling very stupid. Hermione glanced down at her shoes, and Khons licked her cheek appreciatively.

Hermione glanced up, swallowing her pride and craned her neck to stare at Dorcas, lying limply on the bed. "What happened to her?" She motioned her hands toward the Order member, hoping that she would be alright. As Hermione craned around to see Dorcas, she saw her normally dark skin plated and covered in dark red blood, making her feel sick.

"Got in a bit of trouble with some Death Eaters," Fabian explained after sharing a knowing look with Moody.

"Lucky she made it out of their alive!" Mad Eye said a bit bitterly and he shook his head. From the small hospital bed, Dorcas let out a loud groan.

"Lucky!" She repeated breathily, the words obviously taking a lot out of her. "I thought I got out of there with sheer and utter skill. Luck had nothing to do with it." Dorcas croaked, causing Hermione to smile sadly, and Fabian and Gideon to roll their eyes. Her voice sounded much weaker then when they had first met. It sounded small and fragile; just how Dorcas looked.

"What happened to her?" Hermione asked quietly, not wanting Dorcas to hear. It seemed horrible to discuss what happened to Dorcas as if she wasn't there, but Hermione hardly thought that Dorcas was up to explaining it herself at the moment. Hermione looked over at Dorcas then, who was completely out cold, her breathing returned to being even and slow.

"She was cornered, questioned, and cursed when she wouldn't give them any information." Mad Eye said simply, and Hermione noted a hint of pride in his voice.

"Questioned. Questioned about what?" Hermione couldn't stop herself from asking, the words fell from her mouth. As soon as she said them however, she immediately regretted it, thinking back to Dumbledore's words.

 _I believe he is after the girl._

She didn't want people getting hurt for her. She didn't want to put people in danger because Voldemort thought she was some seer. Hermione's stomach dropped and she felt as though she were going to vomit.

"Perhaps we should discuss that later, in private." Dumbledore interrupted and Hermione felt her stomach go uneasy. She didn't want Dumbledore to explain it to her in private, she wanted to know _now._ She said nothing however, only nodding her head easily and forcing a cold smile. Khons squirmed in her arms and she sighed, turning towards the door.

"I have to unpack," She said quickly, and then ducked out of the room in a hurry, rushing up to her room.

Hermione spent the night crying. She wondered if this was what Harry felt like, trapped in a place where you don't want people to die for you, and having no other option anyways. She turned over in her bed restlessly, flipping over her tear covered pillows in the process. In this war, she was nothing. Voldemort was killing for her on the hunch that she might be something useful to him. On the hunch that she might know something the he didn't. Obviously Hermione knew much more than Voldemort, having information that could either cripple him, or lead to his victory.

Hermione shuttered at the thought, she wasn't fond of having all of this power. Unlike Dumbledore, she wasn't willing to let people die for the cause. Part of the reason she had come back in time was to stop people from dying mercilessly. What was the point of coming back in time if she couldn't save anyone she cared about?

Khons hopped up onto the bed and began purring furiously, rubbing his face up against Hermione's cheek, and pawing at the mass of curls behind her. Hermione wiped away a tear and laughed at the cat, acting so obviously odd. She patted his head kindly, and then sighed.

"I wish I could've brought you with me when I went to Remus' house." She said with a loud yawn. "He's not very fond of cats. But I think he might be fond of you," Hermione said with a smile. Khons turned around and flicked his tail in Hermione's face before pouncing from the bed onto the small desk by the window.

"What are you doing?" Hermione wondered aloud as she sat up, her eyes still tracing over the cats movements. Khons pawed at the ink bottle that sat atop the desk, and let out a mew. Hermione's eyes narrowed at her cat, and then her eyes shot wide open.

 _Remus!_

Hermione thought instantly, hopping out of bed and rushing over to her desk area. With a swift shove, Khons was sent off the desk and Hermione was dipping her quill in ink.

 _Remus,_

 _It hasn't been a very good day back at Hogwarts. I'm not even sure if I'm allowed to tell you, but Dorcas was attacked in Hogsmeade by Death Eaters. She was on watch their for the Order, and that's when they attacked her. She seems okay, but I'm not too sure. Dumbledore hasn't told me why, but I overheard him telling Mad Eye Moody that he thought Voldemort was after "the girl." I'm scared he may have meant me. I don't want people to get hurt for me Remus; I don't want people to die for me. I know the full moon is soon, and I hope that it will be okay. I'm going to start working on the potion again. Tell James, Peter, and Sirius I said hello, and I love you._

 _Hermione_

She tucked the letter into her pocket and called Khons over to the door. It was late, and she probably shouldn't have just been wandering alone in the castle at night, but Hermione wanted to get this letter to the owls immediately.

Hermione quietly padded down the hallway, with Khons right at her heals. The candles that lined the corridor walls let off and eerie glow that made Hermione feel uneasy. She walked down the hallway quickly, eager to get back into the comfort of the Gryffindor common room. As she made her way up to the Owlery, Hermione picked an especially fidgety tawny owl that looked as though it could use a good flight. Hermione gently attached the letter to the owl and sent him off into the night.

She wandered back from the Owlery, feeling a bit better about sending her letter to Remus. Eventually, Hermione came across the large doors to the hospital wing. She waited outside them for a bit, not wanting a repeat of what had happened earlier. With her ear pressed up against the window, Hermione listened for movement.

Nothing.

Hermione waited a moment more, and then slowly opened the door, at first only peering her head in. Hermione looked around and found it to be completely deserted, minus Dorcas who was out cold. Checking around once more for Madam Pomfrey, Hermione stepped in and quietly shut the door. She padded soundlessly towards Dorcas, just stopping short of touching her.

Hermione stared down at Dorcas, and a flash of regret spread through her body. She didn't know what she was going to say to her. What could she say? Apologize that she almost died because of Hermione? Was Dorcas even aware that she was protecting Hermione? Was anyone?

"Why aren't you in bed?" Dorcas mumbled, which made Hermione jump from surprise. Dorcas' eyes were still closed, and she didn't really look like she was awake, but the words definitely came from her mouth. Hermione wanted to fathom a reply, but she didn't know what to say. She honestly didn't think Dorcas would be well enough to speak.

After Hermione didn't say anything, Dorcas spoke again. "You want to know what they said to me don't you?" Dorcas whispered in a raspy voice. Hermione watched as Dorcas' eyes fluttered open, and she was greeted with pale brown eyes.

"You said—before you passed out again—you said that you needed to tell me something." Hermione urged her eyes narrowing down on Dorcas.

"I remember now!" Dorcas cried sleepily, and Hermione waved her hands in front of the girl, urging her to quiet down, she wasn't sure when Madam Pomfrey would storm into the Hospital wing again.

"Please, go on." Hermione pressed quietly, eager to know what Dorcas did.

"They were...they knew I was with the Order, they knew I'd been trailing them for a little while…" Dorcas said slowly as the memories flooded back into her head.

"They wanted to know where you were, why you weren't in Hogsmeade…I didn't tell them anything, I suppose that's how I got here, huh?" Dorcas said with a small smile, motioned to the bandages all over her body.

"I'm sorry about that," Hermione said softly, cringing at Dorcas' story. "I never wanted anyone to get hurt." Hermione whispered and Dorcas nodded.

"Hermione, you're different aren't you. That's why _he_ wants you right? _He_ thinks you can help him win the war." Dorcas said in a low voice, and Hermione inhaled sharply. Dorcas shook her head and sighed, then looked up at Hermione.

"You're not what we think, are you?" She asked softly, and Hermione slowly nodded her head, not knowing what else to say. She didn't fear Dorcas finding her secret out, she just knew that it wouldn't be safe for either of them. "You won't tell me either, I suppose." Dorcas wondered.

"I can't," Hermione whispered and Dorcas nodded.

"I figured as much. Dumbledore seems fond of you though," Dorcas noted quietly. Hermione snorted at this, and sat down at the foot of Dorcas' bed.

"Fond of using me, I think." Hermione said a bit more bitterly, causing Dorcas to raise a brow, and then grin.

"I knew I liked you for a reason, Granger." Dorcas sleepily said, and then she rubbed her eyes. Hermione felt a sudden fondness of Dorcas from the way she referred to Hermione by her last name. It felt familiar.

"So you were attacked because of me?" Hermione clarified. She needed to know, she had to know.

"Hermione, it's bigger than that." Dorcas sighed weakly, and Hermione almost thought that she should leave. "It's bigger than you. The Order and everyone knows that they might not make it out alive. It's a war; it's a constant that everyone deals with." Dorcas said, looking up at Hermione.

"But if it's because of me—"

"This war is bigger than you," Dorcas said with wide eyes. "We aren't just sacrificing our lives for you Hermione; we're doing it for the future. So we _there is a_ future." Dorcas then quieted down. "If we stand any chance at winning, there is bound to be some sacrifices, and everyone knows, everyone realizes what we are doing is for something better." Dorcas finished, and Hermione stared at her wide eyed. It seemed so weird for such wise words to come out of someone's mouth that was so young. Hermione opened her mouth to reply, when the doors to the hospital wing crashed open, and Dorcas weakly shoved Hermione off of her bed.

"Hide!" She hissed and Hermione ducked behind a nearby bed curtain, peaking through a small crack to watch the scene unfold.

"You have to help him!" A familiar voice pleaded and Hermione could hear Madam Pomfrey mutter something back. She heard loud cries and moans and suddenly Hermione felt sick.

"How did this happen Mr. Snape?" Dumbledore's voice was low and shaken, and Hermione was thankful that her hearing was extra sensitive.

"He was marked, but he didn't take it well. This didn't happen with me, I don't know what went wrong!" Hermione heard Severus' voice tremble. "He needs help!" Severus hissed and Madam Pomfrey snapped back at him.

"Madam Pomfrey will make sure he is taken care of Severus," Dumbledore politely told the trembling boy. Hermione watched as Snape quickly turned around, his finger pointing in Dumbledore's face.

"You shouldn't have let him do this! He's just a kid!" Severus snapped loudly, and Hermione peered to see who Severus was talking about.

Lying in the bed next to Dorcas was a very sick, very pale and a nearly dead looking Regulus Black.

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I left it off at a bit of a cliffhanger because I felt as though I had too, haha! Anyways, please let me know what you think in the reviews!**


	45. Chapter 45

**Greetings Everyone! A new chapter! Please review and let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe!**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione cringed from behind the curtain, a hand held tightly to her mouth to stop her from retching out. She watched as Dorcas pretended to sleep and Severus paced around the hospital wing, the look of regret apparent on his face. Regulus was writhing on the hospital bed, letting out shouts and screams of agony. He twisted and turned and Hermione watched as Madam Pomfrey struggled to give him a vile of potion.

"This is dark magic Albus," Madam Pomfrey told the Headmaster in a disgusted voice, once Regulus was subdued. "This is going to involve a lot of counter cursing, it may take a while." Her eyebrows were strained and her head shook. "I can't guarantee anything; it might be touch and go for a while." The nurse said quietly, and Hermione paled.

"You have to help him!" Severus cried out, "This is my fault! You have to heal him!" Severus pleaded out a sob as he smashed his fist into a nearby mattress angrily. Hermione flinched and held her arms around herself tightly. Was Regulus the other Death Eater turned spy?

"Severus, perhaps its best for you to excuse yourself for the rest of the evening. If you cannot go home, you are welcomed to stay the night here." Dumbledore said coldly. Severus stared up at him, his expression unreadable and he stormed out of the Hospital Wing in frustration. Hermione watched as Dumbledore slowly turned towards Regulus, and began reciting a counter curse that Hermione was unfamiliar with.

Seeing her chance, Hermione slowly ducked out of the curtain and began crawling towards the door. As she reached it, she slipped out quickly and raced down the corridor. Hermione turned around a corner quickly, narrowly avoiding tripping over Khons and racing towards the Gryffindor common room. Once in her room, Hermione rummaged through her things until she came across the Marauders Map. She scanned the piece of parchment quickly for Severus' name. She saw him pacing outside Dumbledore's office. Hermione looked over the parchment more closely and found the old wizard still in the hospital wing, and then tucked the piece of parchment into her pocket and headed for Severus.

Once she reached him, she saw that he was no longer pacing, but sitting down with his head in between his legs. Hermione was unsure of what to say, so she only cleared her throat. Severus' head snapped up quickly, and his eyes grew wide at the sight of Hermione. Hermione's eyes darted downwards, and she felt very vulnerable all of a sudden. She felt as though she were intruding, and she regretted coming down here at all. Hermione very much so wanted to turn around and leave, but she stayed still. She looked down upon Severus with questioning eyes.

"Granger," He noted quietly, not completely making eye contact with her. "You're still here." He said in a hollow dry voice, much different from the one that Hermione heard in the hospital wing.

"I don't really have anywhere else to go, now do I?" Hermione reminded him and Severus snorted.

"I've forgotten." Severus said blankly, and Hermione's eyes narrowed at him.

"I haven't."

"I suppose you want to know why I'm at Hogwarts in the middle of the night." Severus turned to look at her with a raised brow. Hermione shrugged and inhaled deeply, deciding to tell the truth.

"I already know, but if you'd like to talk about it," Hermione offered him as she took a seat on the ground next to him.

"No, no I'd like very much to _not_ talk about tonight's events." Severus said with a sneer.

"Care for a distraction, then?" Hermione offered quietly and Severus remained silent.

"What have you got in mind?" Severus wondered quietly, and Hermione bit her lip in thought.

And that's how the two found themselves in the empty classroom. Potions were splayed out in front of them, and ingredients covering nearly every open area of counter space they had. Hermione checked the time, and it was getting very late. Realistically, Hermione should've been exhausted by now, but the screams and cries of Regulus remained implanted in her mind, they remained screaming in her head.

"Hand me the plant root," Severus said as he leaned over the cauldron stirring ingredients in at a different pace than before.

Hermione hesitated, "But we haven't put the beetles in yet," she reminded Severus a bit frantically as she looked around desperately for the ingredients. Severus rolled his eyes at Hermione and let out an annoyed sigh.

"And that hasn't worked for us so far, has it?" Severus snapped quickly and Hermione paused for a moment, and then nodded her head. It _did_ make sense to her, they hadn't been making progress the old way, what could it hurt to change it up a bit?

"Now hand me the plant root!" Severus hissed as he sprinkled something in that Hermione was unsure of. Hermione quickly handed him the ingredient, and then backed away.

Severus seemed to be completely in his element. Hermione could hear him muttering to himself, but he didn't say anything other than the occasional demand that she got him ingredients. Hermione peered over the cauldron and looked down at the smoking potion. Once Severus dropped beetles in the cauldron, the potion turned dark and began smoking even more, eluding out a faint blue color. Severus stirred it quickly then sighed loudly and turned to Hermione.

"I think we've just made Wolfsbane potion." Severus said breathlessly, the dark circles under his eyes growing, and his pale face flushed. Hermione leaned over and looked down at the potion in front of them. It looked how it was supposed to, and it even smoked the same way.

"Are you positive? Completely and utterly sure?" Hermione asked, her brows furrowed and a nervous expression on her face. Snape sent a glare over at her and then he rolled his eyes.

"Have you taken me for an idiot?" He sneered at her, and Hermione relaxed at how familiar his harsh words sounded. "Of course I'm sure," He added hastily as he began quickly writing the instructions onto a piece of spare parchment. Hermione took out her own notebook and began to copy it down as well, thinking it was probably better to do it herself from now on.

"I—I don't know what to say Severus, thank you." Hermione exclaimed. She had wanted to pull Severus into a tight hug, but new better than that. Severus nodded his head simply then sighed.

"Er, this won't work for this full moon obviously, so you'll have to make a new batch for the next one." Severus awkwardly explained, and Hermione nodded her head eagerly. The two remained quiet for a moment, and then Severus sighed loudly.

"I messed up big time tonight," Snape bitterly said. "Regulus—he could _die_." Snape spat the last word out, his face contorted with disgust.

"What happened, why did the Dark Mark affect him like that?" Hermione couldn't stop the words that poured out of her mouth. Her eyes dipped down to Severus' rolled up sleeve and looked over his own mark, which sat undisturbed on his forearm.

"I don't know. The process is brutal, terrible even, but I've never seen someone react that way." Snape explained to Hermione quietly, as he sat down on the ground, his head in his hands.

"Does Voldemort know about it?" Hermione asked suddenly. If Voldemort knew that Regulus wasn't reacting well to the mark, he could catch on to the two being spies for Dumbledore.

"Of course not!" Snape said quickly. "I got us both out of their as soon as I could! Once I saw Regulus shaking I knew something was wrong. Its normal to be sick, but he…he wasn't right."

Hermione let out a breath of relief, and rubbed her eyes. "I think—I think that he'll be okay. Dumbledore's powerful, he'll fix it." Hermione reassured Severus, although she wasn't sure if she believed her worlds herself. Her mind thought back to Regulus screams and she could feel her skin prickle. If Snape noticed this, he remained quiet and slowly nodded his head.

"What does he want with you?" Snape asked suddenly, turning towards Hermione. "At first I thought it was because he killed your family and you survived, but now…I'm not so sure. There aren't any records of him killing a Granger family. It seems like it's something more than that." Hermione shivered at his words.

"I think you'd know more about than I would, Severus." Hermione told him and Severus shook his head and sighed.

"No, I don't. I don't know a lot of things. He's very secretive. And I'm not allowed at every meeting. Sometimes I wonder why Dumbledore wants me as a spy even, I feel like I'm not even accomplishing anything." Snape said with a sigh. After Hermione didn't say anything Severus cleared his throat.

"Probably best I didn't know anyways." He sneered bitterly, and then pointed to his tattooed forearm. Hermione shifted awkwardly and gave Snape a small smile, unsure of what to do.

After a few moments of silence, Severus sighed. "How's Lily doing?" He wondered. The question took Hermione aback, almost forgetting that the two had grown up as friends. She shuffled her feet around awkwardly, while thinking of a reply. Truthfully, Hermione had only mailed her a few times this summer, and had only gotten a reply back once or twice. Deciding she'd rather not tell Snape this, Hermione quickly lied.

"She's doing well." Hermione explained to him, and Snape nodded his head and sighed.

"I should have listened to her. She told me that all of this was bad news, that I shouldn't be involved with all of this _dark magic_." He spat out the last words bitterly, and Hermione flinched.

"Er, why _did_ you?" Hermione wondered quietly. Snape wasn't stupid; it wouldn't be like him to blindly follow a tyrannical murder if he didn't believe in the cause.

"The desperate need to belong, I'd think." Severus said bitterly, leaning his head against the wall behind him. "I was curious as well, I suppose. Stupid and curious." Snape said quietly shaking his head slowly and sighing deeply.

Hermione bit her lip and looked down on her hands. "What made you change your mind?" She wondered aloud.

"What?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow, and Hermione cleared her throat.

"What made you decide that becoming a Death Eater was a bad idea?" Hermione couldn't help but ask. She had been wondering about this for a while now. She had no idea what specifically had made Snape realize that being a Death Eater was an awful idea.

Snape turned and looked at Hermione, then sighed. "Oh," He said with a blink. "Er—did your _friends_ ever tell you about the time where they saved my life?" Snape asked with a raised brow.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably, wondering _which_ specific time he was talking about, but remained silent.

"It was after a few Slytherin's caught me trying to talk to Lily. They cursed me pretty bad, I don't even remember what curses they used on me, I just remember being in pain." Severus explained. "Well, in the middle of that. The four of _them_ found me and chased me off. I was surprised when Potter and Black didn't join in on the cursing." He added bitterly and Hermione inhaled.

"They would _never_ do something like that." Hermione's eyes narrowed at Snape's and she glared at him, a low growl apparent in the back of her throat.

"They would've two years ago." Snape said bitterly, and then looked away from Hermione quickly. "It doesn't matter anyways, they helped me." He explained with a shake of the head. "They took me to the hospital wing, and they saved me." He added bitterly.

"And you were so inspired by their brave act of chivalry?" Hermione asked sarcastically and Snape sneered at her.

"Hardly," Snape said dryly. "But before they left, Mulciber whispered something to me, and—and I can't forget it."

Hermione stared down at her hands, waiting for an answer. When one didn't come, she turned and looked towards Severus, who had a contorted expression of bitterness on his face. Hermione thought he looked like he was fighting something within him.

"What did he say?" Hermione whispered.

"He said—" Snape shivered. "He said that next time, it would be my little _mudblood bitch_." Snape spat out the last two words with a great amount of hatred. He shook his head violently and sighed.

"He meant Lily," Hermione put the pieces together, and Snape nodded his head.

"Yes, he meant Lily. If it didn't happen then, I'm sure it would have happened eventually." Snape explained bitterly, and Hermione nodded her head, thinking of Voldemort slaughtering Lily and James. "Do you think I have a chance? Me and Lily I mean?" Severus turned towards Hermione and asked.

Hermione swallowed, and shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not sure, Severus." Hermione said awkwardly, "But I know she'd be proud, knowing what you're doing. Knowing that you've changed." Hermione reassured him, not truly knowing if what she was saying was true or not.

"Too bad no one can know." Snape said bitterly. "I'm tired of playing the bad guy," He exhaled and closed his eyes. Hermione nodded her head and stood up, walking towards the window. She paused and heard footsteps, Severus followed her over.

"Full moon," He commented as he looked up at the sky.

"Yeah, full moon." Hermione repeated, looking up at the large silvery orb. A mixture of hatred and fascination was implanted in her mind. Her thoughts wandered towards Remus, and she felt a sudden aching feeling in her stomach, a constant reminder of what Remus was going through.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus woke suddenly. His eyes remained closed, but he inhaled sharply smelling his surroundings. He could easily smell Peter and James and Sirius. But there was another smell, one he was quite fond of.

Hermione.

Remus turned over on the soft bed and inhaled sharply into the blanket. It smelled just like Hermione, warm and comfortable. It smelled like home to Remus. His eyes fluttered open and he was surprised to see Hermione not there in the room, her scent was so present. Instead, Remus looked around the room and saw a sleeping Peter, Sirius and James, all cuddled up on the floor, letting Remus have the bed all to himself. He was in the room he always used at James' house after the full moon. Either James' parents didn't know that realize he was a werewolf, or they didn't care. Either way, Remus was grateful. Remus inhaled in the blanket and smelled Hermione once more, he figured this had been the one she had used when they stayed at the Potter manor, and he nuzzled himself deeper into it.

He didn't remember much of last night, but he usually never did. Only when he attempted to sit up and the blanket fell off of him, Remus realized he still wasn't dressed yet. He looked at the new scars and scrapes on his body, and found that a few were bandaged already, probably thanks to Evy the house-elf.

"You're awake." Sirius commented from the ground and Remus jolted back in surprise.

"Yeah Padfoot, I am." He croaked out, lying back down on the bed, his muscles a great deal less sore than he usually was.

"How are you—er, feeling Moony?" Sirius whispered.

"Alright. Not as bad as usual, I guess. Still, pretty sore." Remus said with a groan as a sudden sharp pain jolted somewhere in his ribcage. Sirius stood up then, and nudged James and Peter with his foot. The two blinked their eyes open and slowly woke up.

"How 're you feeling?" James wondered instantly, with a small smirk on his face. Remus stared at him questiongly and then shrugged.

"Okay Prongs, I guess" He repeated slowly and James shared a smirk with Sirius. "What's with the smirk?" Remus added hastily, once he realized it wasn't going away.

"Oh, nothing…" Sirius said quickly as he grabbed the blanket and began to tuck Remus into the bed in a motherly fashion. "You better rest," He said and then promptly kissed Remus' forehead, leaving Remus blinking in awe, and James and Peter giggling.

"Please, I'd like to know what you find so very funny," Remus said through clenched teeth. Sirius looked to both Peter and James, and then sighed and shook his head.

"Fine, I just never took Hermione for well…a _biter_ before." Sirius said with a shrug as he sat down on the foot of the bed.

"A _biter!? What the bloody hell are you talking about?"_ Remus' eyes furrowed at the three boys, who were trying their best not to fall into a fit of laughter.

"Moony, look at your—" James pointed to his shoulder area, and waved his hand around—"Right there, look."

Remus craned his neck in a very odd position, and looked down at his shoulder. Sure enough, the mark that Hermione had left him was still there, in a light silvery and purple color, standing out from all his other scars. Remus felt his face go red, and he buried his head back into the pillow. The wolf in Remus screamed, wanting him to defend the mark. But Remus couldn't help but be embarrassed; it was just so…personal.

"Must've happened last night," Remus lied to the three boys. His voice held a great amount of casualness, probably too much. He was never very good at lying, but he thought that growing up as a Marauder would at least give him a bit of help. He was wrong.

"Moony... No it didn't." Peter said with a cringe, and Remus felt his face go even redder. Sirius opened his mouth and let out a loud bark of laughter.

"I've seen the one on her shoulder," Sirius pressed, and Remus could feel a low growl deep within his throat. Sirius noted the tension rising and he quickly cleared his throat and turned towards Remus. "I think its lovely Moony," Sirius said with a smirk. "Like a necklace, but more permanent." He finished and Remus couldn't help but laugh.

"The next thing we know, Prongs will go around trying to bite Lily." Peter smirked mischievously, causing Remus and Sirius to laugh loudly. James' brows furrowed and he crossed his arms around his chest.

"I'll show you—" James muttered, then he threw himself across the room, successfully tackling Sirius to the ground.

"Stop! Stop! You're a maniac!" Sirius cried out from underneath James. Peter and Remus shared a look, before going into a fit of giggles. James was straddling Sirius, with a knee on either side of him and a hint of determination in his eye.

"I'll show you a bite!" James said as he bit down hard on Sirius' shoulder. Sirius' eyes went wide and his mouth fell open, and the squirming stopped.

"I'll kill you Prongs!" Sirius screamed and threw his head foreword, successfully landing a bite on a surprised James' shoulder as well. James fell backwards off of Sirius and gasped loudly.

"That was Lily's shoulder!" James said astonished, his hand moving forward to the bite mark.

"Oi! I don't want to get bitten next!" Peter cried from the bed. This brought both Sirius and James' attention towards their smaller friend. The two shared a mischievous grin, before tackling Peter at the same time and each biting down on each shoulder, causing Peter to squeal.

"I'd bite Moony…" Sirius said with a grin. "But too bad someone else already did."

~Until Next Time~

 **Hope you guys liked it! Review please and let me know what you think. Thank you all so much for reading this!**


	46. Chapter 46

**Greetings Everyone! New chapter, hope you enjoy! Please review and let me know what you think of it!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns everything!**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

The next day, Hermione found herself wandering around the castle until she ended up once again outside the hospital wing. If anyone were to ask why, Hermione had already worked out that she was there to visit Dorcas, but in reality, she was dying to know how Regulus was doing. She hardly slept with his cries still implanted in her head. She wanted to write to Sirius and tell him the implications of what had happened. She wanted to write and tell him that Regulus was hurt; she wanted to tell him that Regulus wasn't truly a Death Eater, that he had changed his ways and was now a spy. But she knew she couldn't. If the information fell into the wrong hands, Regulus and Severus could be slaughtered. The thought made Hermione's stomach nauseas.

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts when the door swung open, and a frazzled Madam Pomfrey gasped in shock. Her normally slicked back hair was messily framing her face, and she had dark circles under her eyes.

"Oh, dear!" Madam Pomfrey held a hand to her chest and recollected herself from surprise. Her eyes flickered open at Hermione and she raised a weak eyebrow. "Coming to see your friend?" She wondered and Hermione nodded her head, too stunned to speak. "Very well," Madam Pomfrey said and opened the door for Hermione to walk in before scurrying away in the opposite direction. Hermione stared after the nurse and then turned around and looked into the hospital wing.

Dorcas was sitting up, the color returned to her face and she was talking amiably to an uninterested Severus, and a pale Regulus.

"Hermione!" Dorcas cried out, a grin growing on her face. Hermione lifted her arm up in an awkward wave and padded over towards the Order member. Dorcas shimmied over a bit to make room for Hermione on her bed.

"How're you feeling?" Hermione asked Dorcas, who shrugged and then sighed dramatically.

"Fantastic, I feel like I could duel with Dumbledore!" Dorcas exaggerated and threw her hands up into the air dramatically. Hermione chuckled at this, and then turned towards Regulus and Severus.

"How're _you_ feeling?" Hermione slowly asked the Slytherin. Regulus blinked at her, and then smiled weakly.

"Alive," He rasped, and then let out a shaky laugh. Hermione watched him, suddenly so immersed in his features. He looked older than the last time Hermione saw him. His face was plagued with scars, not in the physical sense, but Hermione could see them in his eyes. Eyes that were so extraordinarily similar to Sirius'.

"Obviously," Hermione said sarcastically with an eye roll as she stole a glance with Severus. Regulus laughed shakily and Dorcas snickered as well.

"I forgot how much I liked you Granger," Regulus snorted and Dorcas' jaw dropped next to Hermione.

"That's what I said!" She laughed and then slapped Hermione on the back. Hermione smiled appreciatively at Dorcas, but her smile soon faded as she glanced over at Regulus' arm, bandaged and bruised. She opened her mouth to speak, and then Madam Pomfrey pushed through the doors again.

"Ah, Ms. Meadows! Mr. and Mr. Prewett are waiting for you outside the castle, you're free to go." She said, not even bothering to look up from the potion that was in her hands. Dorcas' perked up and turned towards Hermione.

"Good seeing you Granger," She said to Hermione with a smile and patted her shoulder. Dorcas then stood up to face the two Slytherins.

"And you lot are alright for a couple of Death Eaters." Dorcas whispered with a wink, and then dashed out of the room, blowing by Madam Pomfrey.

"You better take this," Madam Pomfrey said diligently and then handed Regulus a dark purple potion. From the look on Regulus' face, it must have smelled atrocious. Snape quickly pulled his head away from it and pinched his nose and Hermione snorted. After Regulus downed the potion, Madam Pomfrey smiled at him happily.

"Good, now if you're feeling any more pain, you know where to find me." She said and then slipped out of the hospital wing once more.

"Pleasant lady," Regulus snorted once she left. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, then clucked her tongue.

"That pleasant lady saved your life," She reminded him, and she thought she saw Regulus' cheeks go red. Hermione readjusted herself on the neighboring bed, and then motioned her hand towards Regulus.

"So what did Dumbledore do last night?" Hermione wondered curiously and Regulus shrugged.

"I don't remember. I don't remember a lot of what happened actually. Just a lot of pain." Regulus explained to Hermione. The bushy witch winced at his words, and then looked up towards Severus. His facial expression was hard to read, but Hermione could tell that he was probably thinking of his own past experiences with pain.

"Did Dumbledore explain why it reacted that way?" Hermione pressed. "He has to know something."

Regulus shrugged, "If he knows anything, he's keeping it from me." He said with a sigh. Hermione narrowed her brows in thought, and then sighed.

"He performed a counter curse, I wasn't familiar with it." Hermione muttered more to herself than to the two Slytherins. "Do _you_ know what the counter curse was?" She turned towards Severus quickly. He seethed at her then snorted bitterly.

" _Yes,"_ He drawled sarcastically. "Because I'm so interested in the Dark Arts, I must know every dark curse there is." He said bitterly

"I only asked because you were there as well, _not_ because I think you're some evil _prat_." Hermione said through clenched teeth as she narrowed her eyes at Severus. His dark eyes pulled away from her glare and fell to the ground awkwardly. There was an uncomfortable silence, so Regulus cleared his throat.

"So what did you do to piss the _Dark Lord_ off?" Regulus said mockingly and light- heartedly.

Hermione shrugged, "I'm not sure, but when I find out, I'll let you know." She told Regulus bitterly, and he snorted. After a few more awkward silent moments, Regulus exhaled loudly.

"How's my brother?" He wondered quietly. Hermione raised her eyebrow at his question. Her eyes darted over to Severus who was currently rolling his, and then she looked back to a fragile looking Regulus. It was strange how being vulnerable could make someone look so young. "You are still friends, correct?" Regulus added hastily after Hermione remained silent.

"Oh yes, we're still friends!" Hermione said quickly as she thumbed the necklace that Sirius had given her. She had yet to take it off. It felt wrong parting with it. The necklace had become a part of her. "And he's doing well," She told him quietly. Regulus nodded his head.

"Is he still living with the Potters?" Regulus asked.

"Yes," She said. "They're a wonderful family. James' parents are very nice." She reassured Regulus, who looked almost envious.

"That's good. I'm glad he's doing well." Regulus said in a strained voice, and Hermione couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

The days turned into weeks, and suddenly, Remus hadn't seen Hermione in nearly a month. The two had easily corresponded through letters, but it was nothing like the real thing. He missed the way Hermione would snort when she laughed too hard. He missed the way she would throw up her hair messily when she was reading and too busy to deal with it. He missed the way her eyes lit up when she talked about nearly anything she was passionate about. He missed the way she felt in his arms and the way she could soothe his inner wolf. But most of all he missed the way Hermione smelled; like chocolate and cinnamon.

Remus was lying on his couch wrapped up in a warm wool blanket, although it was mid-summer. He had always been pretty immune to the heat, and he was nearly always freezing. His head was immersed in _The Tale of Two Cities_ , struggling to try and finish the book. It wasn't that he didn't like it; it was just that he thought there was much better literature out there. He scanned the pages wordlessly before he was interrupted.

 _Tssssst tsssssst_

Remus' ears perked up almost immediately since they were more sensitive near the full moon. He cocked his head in a very wolf like manner at the noise, until his eyes landed on his fireplace. Remus narrowed his eyes at it carefully; trying to catch whatever was making the noise, and then waited. When nothing happened, Remus slowly returned to reading his book.

 _POP_

Remus' head snapped up towards his fireplace. The small crackling flames were now large and green, and as soon as they came, they were gone. Instead, standing in front of him was Hermione, covered in soot and her arms full, but she was definitely there.

"Hermione!" Remus nearly shouted, his book falling out of his hands and onto the ground. Remus nearly burst out into laughter as he saw Hermione cringe as the book hit the floor. The action was so _like_ Hermione.

"You're here. At my house. Right now. I'm not hallucinating am I? The wolf isn't playing tricks on me?" He said with a grin. Hermione threw her head back in laughter, revealing her neck and showing Remus part of his mark. The wolf inside him howled.

Hermione set down her bag on the coffee table and stepped closer towards Remus. She paused right in front of him, before throwing her arms around him hard and holding him tightly. Remus put his arms around her as well, and leaned his chin upon her head, inhaling her scent in which he missed so much. The two stayed like that for a few minutes, so entangled in each other's sudden presence that nothing else in the world seemed to matter.

"I'm here." Hermione murmured into his chest. Remus held her tighter for a moment, then pulled away, his hands resting on her shoulders.

"How are you here…Did Dumbledore let you come..?" Remus asked bewilderedly. It didn't seem like Dumbledore would let Hermione make an announced trip. Especially after the events in Hogsmeade a few weeks ago.

"What Dumbledore won't know won't hurt him," Hermione said quickly as she tipped her head up to kiss Remus. Remus however, pulled away suddenly, a pressed a finger to Hermione's lips to pause her.

"Dumbledore doesn't know you're here?" Remus asked, he could feel his heart rate soar.

Hermione shifted awkwardly and sighed. "He doesn't, but I won't be gone long. I just have to give you something." She said as she turned towards the table and shoved her hand deep within her beaded bag.

"You have to give me something?" Remus repeated, and then fell back onto the couch. "Like a gift?" He wondered awkwardly. Tons of thoughts raced through his head. It wasn't an anniversary of some sort, was it? He hadn't prepared a gift, and he couldn't bear to see Hermione upset about something like this. He tried thinking of any special occasions that fell onto this date, but he soon realized that there wasn't any significance of today.

"Sort of," Hermione said as she continued ransacking within her bag. Remus paled and then sighed.

"I haven't gotten you anything Hermione, I'm—I'm sorry." Remus apologized as he stared down at his hands. He could feel his face flush, and he suddenly felt very guilty. Hermione turned towards him, and her jaw dropped.

"Remus, no don't apologize!" Hermione said quickly, her eyes wide and mouth wide open. "Technically, I wouldn't even call this a gift. I'd call it… more of a …fulfilled promise." She said to Remus. He had no idea what she meant by this, but he nodded anyways.

"Oh, alright then." Remus said quietly, his eyes still looking down at his worn hands. He was about to ask Hermione what exactly this was for, when Hermione let out a loud audible gasp.

"Aha!" Hermione shouted, apparently finding what she was looking for. Remus watched carefully as Hermione pulled out vile after vile of a thick, dark potion. His nose instantly caught smell of it, and he couldn't help but crinkle his nose.

"I know it smells awful, and I'm sure it tastes just as bad, but its here. And I know how to make it now." Hermione said as she pulled out numerous viles of the potion. "You'll have to take one once a day the week before—"

"Hermione, what _is_ this?" Remus interrupted before Hermione could finish. She turned to him, and tilted her head, a bundle of curls cascading down. Her eyes went wide and her mouth formed an O shape.

"Remus, oh this is Wolfsbane! We've figured out how to make it!" Hermione said with a large grin. Remus' jaw dropped as his eyes zoned in at the potion. He was at a loss for words. There was nothing he could do or say to repay Hermione for this. The Wolfsbane potion was lifesaving, something he thought would never be possible. He quickly wrapped Hermione tightly in his arms and began kissing all over her face.

"I can't believe you actually did it." Remus whispered, his eyes never leaving Hermione's face.

"Believe it or not Remus, I'm actually quite bright," Hermione teased with a wink, and then laughed.

Remus blushed red and shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. I just, er—I thought you were struggling with it?" He asked her timidly, trying to carefully not offend her.

"I was!" Hermione said eagerly, and then her smile fell. "And technically I wasn't the one who recreated it." Hermione paused and checked Remus' facial expression quickly. "Severus did," She added hastily, and Remus' smile fell.

"Severus." He repeated in a low voice. Remus raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat. "What was Severus doing at Hogwarts?" He wondered protectively. Remus watched as Hermione searched herself for an answer.

"Order business, I don't think I should really elaborate," Hermione said quietly as she bit her bottom lip. Remus nodded his head, understanding. He knew that some things Hermione really couldn't tell him, and although it bothered him he knew that it wasn't her fault.

"It's okay," Remus told her quickly. "It doesn't matter. You're here, that's all I care about." Remus said and pulled Hermione into another tight hug. Hermione pulled away first and erupted into giggles. Remus frowned as she turned her attention back to the potions.

"You'll have to take one once a day leading up to the full moon. The Wolfsbane will let you keep your mind, but you'll still transform." Hermione said slowly, a concentrated frown on her face.

"You're incredible," Remus breathed, as he pulled Hermione in for a kiss

 _ **Potter Manor**_

"How'd she figure it out?" Peter wondered curiously. It was only a few hours before the full moon, and it tonight would be the first true test of the Wolfsbane. The Marauders were all gathered at James' house for Remus' transformation. They all stood in the familiar spot in the woods where they had transformed so many times before.

"She's brilliant Wormtail, you know that." Sirius said as he took a swig of his cigarette. Remus rolled his eyes next to Sirius.

"Nasty habit," Remus commented to Sirius irritably. The nearing full moon was testing his temper.

"Lighten up Moony, you'll be in your right mind tonight, we should be celebrating!" Sirius said as he cheerfully dropped his cigarette on the ground and stepped down hard on it.

"I'll celebrate after towards. When I'm positive it works." He told the three boys reassuringly.

The sun went down a little later and Remus tensed up with anticipation. Noticing Remus go frigid, James reassuringly put a hand on his shoulder.

"No matter what happens Moony, we're here for you, alright? We'll always be here for you." James gently smiled. Somehow James was always able to make him feel at ease. He had a knack for comforting people, something that Remus had been very thankful for over the years. There had been countless full moons where Remus didn't know what he would do without James. Remus took a deep breath and nodded. He removed his shirt, his pants, and finally his shoes. Then he stood naked in front of his friends.

"You should change now, I can feel it." Remus choked out, the words were sticking to his throat, fighting to escape. The three boys in front of him nodded hesitantly as they shifted into their animagus forms. In Remus final moments before his change, he briefly wondered what it would be like to willingly shift into your animal counterpart. He briefly wondered what it would be like to have the amount of free will that his friends possessed. Remus wondered briefly what it would be like to not shift into a monster once a month.

And then he began to shift.

It was painful, which was to be expected. The sounds of bones snapping and moving into their new form were always unpleasant to Remus, and when he wasn't screaming in agonizing pain, he was sure he would be vomiting. He felt his muscles stretch over his limbs, and his head pounded with adrenaline. It usually went this way. A few moments of unbearable pain and then all was forgotten. Remus never remembered what occurred when he was a wolf. His memories were gone and all he was left with was his instincts.

This time was different. He was lying on the ground whimpering, and very wolf like, but also very much like himself. More like himself than he was used too. Remus lifted his head and inhaled, gathering the scent of his surroundings. Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs were there as well, watching him with a certain caution. Remus looked down at his paws, and the realization that he was in control made him howl from excitement.

The great black dog joined along in the howl, the twosome's duet sounding eerie yet joyful at the same time. The great stag battered his antlers against the nearby tree in celebration, shaking his massive head urgently and bucking his body. The rat rolled around on the ground and squealed with excitement. Its tail whipped around and it skipped in-between the stag's legs. The four animals' friendship was highly unusual, but tonight, they were a pack.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thanks for reading everyone! Review and let me know what you think! You guys are wonderful!**


	47. Chapter 47

**Greetings Everyone! I just wanted to write a little message to let you all know how much you mean to me. It's crazy that people even want to read what I write, nonetheless like it!? Thank you to everyone who takes the time out of there day to read my work. You guys are the best. And a special thank you to everyone who reviews, you all make this worth doing. Thank you.**

 **Okay, besides all of that sap, here is a new chapter. You know the drill, let me know what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I don't.**

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione spent the last few weeks of summer in a sort of trance. She spent most of the time in the library, rereading nearly all of the books. She liked the freedom of being able to browse all of the bookshelves without the librarian lurking over her and watching her every move.

When Hermione wasn't in the library, she was down on the grounds with Hagrid. Hermione enjoyed his company, it was familiar and it felt normal. Sometimes Hermione tried to pretend that she was back in her own time. And Harry and Ron were busy practicing quidditch, so she went to visit Hagrid herself. The fantasy always quickly faded as Hermione was forced to deal with her reality. Her dreams often scared her, as they were such a far stretch from reality.

"New school year, ya?" Hagrid grunted to Hermione over tea one day. Hermione nodded her head eagerly as she swallowed her luke-warm tea.

"Yes, I'm eager for it to start. It gets lonely at Hogwarts without all the students." Hermione shrugged and Hagrid nodded his head, agreeing. In an instant, a white blur jumped on the table between them, nearly knocking over Hagrid's cup of tea.

"Oi! Is that the cat I gave yer?" Hagrid ask bewilderedly. Hermione nodded her head as she quickly scooped the cat up and sat him back down on the floor.

"Yeah, he's gotten quite big." Hermione admitted as she looked down at the large white cat. Khons had just been a kitten, it seemed impossible for him to grow this much in such a short period of time.

"Ah, his mother was just as big," Hagrid commented and sipped on his tea. These conversations usually made Hermione feel more homesick then help. It was almost as if she was trying desperately to reach into the Hagrid in her time, but he just wasn't there.

One afternoon, Hermione was reading a book on family heritage in the Wizarding world when her mind drifted to back to Regulus.

Both Regulus and Severus had left in an abrupt hurry. One morning Hermione wandered to the hospital wing, to find that it was abandoned. When Hermione questioned Madam Pomfrey about the two boys disappearing, Madam Pomfrey only explained that Regulus was much better, and that was all she knew.

The two Slytherin's sudden disappearance annoyed Hermione, but she understood it. If anyone were to find out that they had found refuge at Hogwarts under the control of Voldemort's greatest enemy, Hermione knew that that would mean certain death. However, that didn't stop Hermione from marching into Dumbledore's office and demanding an explanation.

" _Ms. Granger, how are you this morning?" Dumbledore asked politely. His soft spoken words stopped Hermione right in her tracks, her sudden bitterness buried as she attempted to conduct herself._

" _Ah—I'm fine. And you?" Hermione stumbled over her words as she found a seat across from Dumbledore._

" _Very well, although I think perhaps I might have caught a small cold. Such a shame in the summer, but nothing Madam Pomfrey can't fix." He said to her easily and then took a handkerchief and dabbed his nose. Hermione bit her lip, regretting coming to see Dumbledore. What were her plans anyways? Was she going to yell at Dumbledore for kicking her only companions out of the castle?_

" _Wonderful, sir." Hermione swallowed and Dumbledore nodded his head happily at her before clearing her throat._

" _I assume Ms. Granger, that you have found out that your two friends have left the castle?"Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and adjusted his half-moon spectacles._

" _Yes," Hermione reluctantly replied, suddenly feeling like a petulant child. "I went to see them this morning and they were gone." She added hastily as she dared a quick glance to her headmaster._

" _Yes, I'm very sorry about that. A goodbye is a much cherished bit of friendship, such a shame that you were robbed of it." He said thoughtfully and Hermione nodded her head and agreed. "The two had to leave before people began to get suspicious, Hermione. It was only for their safety." He explained._

 _Hermione refrained from rolling her eyes and simply nodded her head._

" _It won't be long before the upcoming school year, but I did wish to say goodbye to my friends." Hermione told Dumbledore with pursed lips. Dumbledore's eyes perked up at the mention of friends and he smiled happily to himself._

" _Ah, speaking of your friends Ms. Granger, I think you'll be delighted to know that two of them have been honored in being selected as Head Boy and Head Girl." Dumbledore smiled at Hermione pleasantly._

" _Who?" Hermione chimed, although she had a hunch._

" _Mr. Potter and Ms. Evans," Dumbledore responded happily._

It wasn't long after that that Hermione got letters from all of her friends explicitly telling her their exciting news. Lily's letter had come only later that night, one of the few that she received all summer.

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _I hope that your summer has been going well. Sorry I haven't had the chance to write to you much this summer. I've been well tied up with the planning of my sister Petunia's wedding. It's not scheduled for another year; however my sister is a bit of handful and has been keeping our entire family busy with her plans. Her fiancé Vernon is a nightmare as well, he's more of a man-child than anything, I wish you could see him._

 _I've got good news however…I've made Head Girl! The badge came in the mail only just last night and I was so shocked. Alice and Marlene thought that maybe Remus may have gotten head boy, or perhaps McHagan from Hufflepuff, but they weren't sure. Do you know if Remus got it? He most definitely deserves it the most._

 _Another thing. It's already okay with my parents, but would you like to spend the last few days of summer holiday with me? We would ride the Hogwarts express back into Hogwarts. I figured it would do you some good to get out of the house and give you a break from work._

 _Anyways please write back soon with your reply, I've missed you dearly._

 _Love, Lily_

Hermione smiled and held the letter close to her chest. She remembered that Lily and the other girls thought she was working at the Three Broomsticks over holiday and her smile faded. Hermione wanted badly to be with her friends again. She could see no reason why Dumbledore would object. Hermione made a mental note to ask Dumbledore immediately.

James' letter was a completely different story.

 _HERMIONE_

 _JAMES IS HEAD BOY! PLEASE TELL ME THAT EVANS IS HEAD GIRL! PLEASE LET IT BE EVANS! REPLY QUICK WITH THE NEWS THAT IT'S EVANS!_

 _LOVE Sirius_

Hermione laughed at Sirius news and sighed. She glanced over both of the letters once more and decided to keep the information from each other. Hermione thought that the reactions would be much more authentic if the two were to find out in person.

As the last week of summer, Hermione found herself in Dumbledore's office once again; this time however, she had a favor to ask him. Dumbledore was standing, looking out his window with a concentrated expression. Hermione thought she might have snuck up on the old man, so she loudly cleared her throat.

"Hermione," Dumbledore greeted the girl without turning around. She hesitated at the entrance and then walked in and stood at his desk waiting. Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but Dumbledore held and hand up to her. "Come look, Ms. Granger quickly now before they're gone."

Hermione blinked once then quickly walked over to the large window overlooking the grounds. Dumbledore moved over to the right and pointed towards the edge of the forbidden forest. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the forest, but couldn't quite make out what he was looking at. Feeling as though she should say something, Hermione cleared her throat.

"I'm not sure what you're looking at, sir." Hermione told the old wizard. Dumbledore's mouth parted and he nodded his head.

"Threstals," He told her slowly. "Although I'm quite pleased to find that you don't have the ability to see them. They are magnificent. Horribly tragic, but magnificent nonetheless." Dumbledore explained to her quietly. Hermione's brain flashed back to the ride to the department of ministries. She was quite familiar with Threstals, although she wished to never see them herself.

"Threstals, I know what they are." Hermione explained. "A few of my friends could see them." Hermione looked up to see his expression, but he remained unreadable. While she was their when the Sirius in her own time had died, she had been unconscious and hadn't witnessed it herself. Although she had heard the details from the other witnesses, which even caused her great distress.

"Although the war dwindles on, it does me good to knowing that some have yet to see the drastic outcomes." Dumbledore spoke melodically, his voice oddly soothed Hermione.

"I've seen them," Hermione said quickly, "In other ways." She spoke quietly and Dumbledore's head fell.

"I assume you've come here for a reason Ms. Granger, not that I don't enjoy your company." Dumbledore turned away from the window and peered down at Hermione.

"Of course sir," Hermione said quickly and attempted to gather her thoughts. "As you know, the school year will be starting soon." Hermione pressed. She dared a quick glance up at her headmaster, who urged her with a nod to continue. "Well, I was wondering if I may be allowed to go to Diagon Alley to buy my school supplies." Hermione sputtered out quickly.

Dumbledore thought on it for a moment before replying, "Your school supplies could be easily delivered here," he challenged.

"I know," Hermione pressed quickly, hoping that she wasn't losing this battle. "I could use a good day out; I've been stuck here for more than a month. I was bound to go stir crazy at some point." Hermione pleaded with Dumbledore.

The old wizard paused a moment, and to Hermione's surprise, chuckled. He must have seen the shocked look on her face, because his laughter died out and he nodded his head.

"Perhaps we could make an arrangement, Ms. Granger." He spoke slowly and meticulously. Dumbledore slowly stepped away and walked over to his desk before taking a seat. Hermione quickly followed suit and sat down in the chair across from him.

"I'd be willing to compromise," Hermione responded politely, although she was in no position to compromise whatsoever. Dumbledore must have noticed this as well, because his mouth turned up into a smile.

"I'd suggest a career in magical law enforcement, Ms. Granger. I think you'd be a force to be reckoned with." Dumbledore said and then let out another hardy chuckle.

"Thank you."

"Death Eaters will be flocked in Diagon Alley," Dumbledore casually reminded Hermione.

Hermione thought for a moment before shrugging, "Death Eaters are flocked everywhere." She retorted quickly and Dumbledore nodded his head simply.

"You would be escorted with a few Order members as well." He explained to her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'd prefer Fabian and Gideon, or maybe Dorcas." Hermione told Dumbledore eagerly, being able to go to Diagon Alley would be a dream. She was dying to go out and see the real world once again. Being locked up in Hogwarts for nearly the whole summer was oddly draining. Hermione needed outside attention.

"I'll allow it," Dumbledore told her after a few moments of silence. Hermione couldn't help the squeal of joy that escaped her lips. She clamped a hand over her smile and let out a loud laugh of joy and Dumbledore nodded his head fondly.

"I assume you're already aware of which day your friends are headed to Diagon Alley?" Dumbledore wondered patiently. Hermione nodded her head eagerly then cleared her throat.

"Yes, they'll be going this Tuesday." Hermione blushed red, how had Dumbledore figured her out so easily?

"I'll see to it that you're escorted safely their and back," Dumbledore explained to Hermione. "Although, may I ask a favor?" The old wizard stroked his beard with one bony hand, and then adjusted his glasses with the other. Hermione nodded her head eagerly at the man, and he continued. "When you are out, due try and keep a low profile. There are a number of people that would pride themselves on seeing you in the hands of Voldemort. And I would very much hate if they were to succeed." Dumbledore wispily said. And with that Hermione left.

 _ **Diagon Alley**_  
Hermione apparated to Diagon Alley side-by-side with the Prewett twins. She remained nauseas afterwards this time as well, but the thought of seeing her friends excited her so much she so she was able to push her nausea aside.

"Final year at Hogwarts?" Gideon made light conversation as they walked down the bustling street. It seemed as though they weren't the only ones to be visiting Diagon Alley today. Wizards and witches of all ages were wandering around in the street. Hermione saw the awe and amazement in many young wizards' eyes. Hermione found it strange that Diagon Alley was still bustling with activity. With the uproar in Death Eater attacks, Hermione thought for sure more people would be eager to stay home.

"Yes," Hermione said sadly. This was the last time she would be starting again at Hogwarts. The final time she would board the train and watch the sorting ceremony. There was a dull pain in her stomach at the thought. Nearly a year ago, Hermione would have thought she'd be finishing the school year with Ron and Harry, but now she would be ending with a completely new group of friends. She would be ending it with a completely new generation, one that she didn't quite belong in.

"Any plans after Hogwarts?" Fabian wondered as they turned a corner and narrowly avoided a large group of children who pushed past the bustling crowd.

"Er—I'm not really sure yet," Hermione said to the twins. And in truth, she wasn't sure. She'd been greatly putting off thinking about her future. Her mission was to destroy Voldemort; that was what she was sent back in time for.

"You'd be welcomed at the Auror Office, Mad Eye has heard loads about you, and he might even train you himself." Gideon gushed to Hermione.

"Mad Eye's brilliant! He's put away loads of dark wizards. He's a legend." Fabian explained to Hermione. "The man has a gift," He said with a shake of the head. Hermione nodded her head in agreement when they heard a shrill shriek. All three of them instinctively reached for their wands and quickly turned towards the noise. Hermione's gripped loosened as she saw a mass of dark red hair fly at her and then hold her tightly.

"Hermione!" Lily's voice squealed in delight. "It's been ages," She said as she pulled away and smiled at the bushy brown haired girl. Hermione smiled back, but couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by Lily. In the three months she had gone without seeing the witch, Hermione had forgotten how incredibly pretty she was. Her hair was a bit longer now, going just past her shoulders, but her eyes were the same sharp green, and her smile was still mischievous.

"Congratulations on Head girl Lily, you've absolutely deserved it." Hermione smiled at the girl again, before getting pulled into another tight hug.

"Thanks, I couldn't have done it without your help in transfiguration though." Lily said with a grin and Hermione felt herself blush once more. "In your letter you didn't mention if Remus was head boy. He did get the badge, didn't he?" Lily wondered.

"Actually, I'm afraid he didn't." Hermione told a frowning Lily. "I'm not exactly sure who received it."

"Oh," Lily's frown remained on her face. "I hope it wasn't McHagan, he's smart but he's a bloody prat." Lily said as she rolled her eyes. She must have just noticed the Prewett twins, because her eyes widened and she cleared her throat.

"Lily, this is Fabian and Gideon Prewett. My, er—newest friends." Hermione stumbled over the words. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say to Lily about the twins. It's not like she could just mention the Order of the Phoenix. Lily would be inducted too soon as is and Hermione didn't want to rush the process whatsoever. Fabian and Gideon both snorted at Hermione's words, but gave no hint as to why they were actually with her.

"Nice to meet you," Lily smiled up at them and the twins smiled back fondly. "Well, I was just about to go into the bookstore to get the books for this year; did you want to come as well?" Lily offered. Hermione agreed happily and the two girls set off for Flourish and Blotts.

 _ **Remus' POV**_

"Remus, relax we'll see her soon." Sirius reassured Remus with a quick pat on the back. Remus nodded in agreement, but didn't stop looking up and down the busy street with anticipation.

"Something just doesn't feel right," Remus muttered to his friends. "It just feels a bit off today." He admitted and James frowned in consideration.

"Werewolf's intuition?" James wondered with a small smile and Remus shrugged. The four Marauders' made their way down the busy street. It was a little less crowded than usual, however moving around was still fairly difficult with the amount of people there. It seemed odd that with all of the recent attacks, people would still be so cheery and willing to go out in public.

As if reading his mind, Peter let out a distress whine, "Strange that so many people would be out in public right about now. With you-know-who gaining more power, my mum didn't even want me to come to Diagon Alley this year." He muttered to the other three and they all nodded petulantly.

"The new school years starting, everyone's going back to Hogwarts. Mum said that the parents are happy knowing that their children will be safe for another year. Hogwarts is impenetrable." James told the group and Remus nodded, thinking back to the Death Eater attacks right at Hogsmeade. Hogwarts may have been safe, but nowhere else was.

"Expect for Hogsmeade," Sirius reminded the group who all winced. "Although, did you read in the papers? They searched in Lucius Malfoy's home and found nothing, he's no longer wanted." Sirius said with a particularly disgusted look on his face. Remus mouth fell and his eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"No longer wanted? He's a bloody Death Eater!" Remus nearly shouted. "The sneaky little—"

"Oi! Remus, there's Hermione!" Peter elbowed Remus hard in the ribs and pointed across the street. Hermione stood in between the two Prewett twins, who seemed to be telling a rather hilarious story. Hermione's face was upturned into a bright smile, and her head was thrown back in laughter. Remus was nearly ready to shout to her, when Hermione's laughter finally subsided and she met Remus' eyes from across the throng of people. She blushed deep red and timidly waved at Remus. He watched as she nudged Gideon and then pointed to Remus. The red head's eyes followed her arm and when he saw Remus his mouth turned into a friendly smile and then he waved.

"Dumbledore sent the Prewetts' for her protection?" Sirius questioned from behind Remus.

"Looks like it," James mumbled and the group crossed the busy street. Once they reached the other side, Hermione attacked Remus with a large hug. He inhaled deeply and buried his face into her neck, cherishing every moment they had together. Eventually the two had to pull away and face the rest of the group. Hermione momentarily looked overwhelmed, but then a large smile replaced her tense one.

"Boys, how are you?" Hermione turned to the remaining Marauders and asked.

"Been better," James said from Remus right. "I feel like I'll be jumped by a Death Eater at any moment." He shoved his hands deep into his pockets and shifted uncomfortably in his position. One of the red headed twins leaned in and shook his head.

"Not very likely," Fabian said in a low voice, and the rest of the group leaned closer in to hear.

"What do you mean?" Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Order members are posted everywhere. Dumbledore's got this place on lockdown." Fabian said with a mischievous wink.

"Like where?" Peter challenged as he stuck his head up and began looking around. Gideon snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Try not to be so obvious…but do you see that stout old man sitting down in front of Florean's?" Gideon told the group. All five heads turned quickly towards the ice cream store and Fabian let out a loud grunt.

" _Not_ obvious at all," He said sarcastically and Remus felt himself go red. Waiting a moment after Sirius got his look, Remus turned and spotted the old man. His face looked weathered down with hard wrinkles and his gray hair sprinkled over his head. He was dawned in light blue robes and large glasses as he happily sat on a bench outside the store. Remus raised an eyebrow as he turned his head back to the group.

"That's Elphias Doge." Fabian whispered and everyone's jaws dropped.

"The bloke hasn't aged well, has he?" James asked as he stifled a laugh.

"It's a Glamour Charm, obviously." Hermione hissed to James and then quickly glanced up at Remus and smiled.

"And do you see that woman over there?" Fabian pointed to a woman who seemed very interested in the newspaper across the street.

"Blimey!" Sirius gasped. "Is that Emmeline Vance?" He asked his eyes as wide as saucers.

"Good guess," Fabian said happily and then pointed out a few more Order Members. As the group paid attention to the Prewett twins, Remus and Hermione both slipped away.

"How are you? How did the Wolfsbane work? I know you wrote to me but I just want to be sure." Hermione's words jumbled out of her mouth so quickly Remus almost missed them.

"It worked fine, you're brilliant." He told her with a wide smile and Hermione sighed in relief. The two stared at each other, and then Hermione stood on her tip toes and kissed Remus. She wrapped an arm around his neck and rested another on his chest. The kiss was warm and comforting, and Remus felt at peace.

~Until Next Time~

 _ **Please let me know how you like it.**_


	48. Chapter 48

**Greetings Everyone! Thanks for reading and enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: Jk Rowling owns the Harry Potter universe.**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Remus entered Platform 9 ¾'s a bit earlier than he usually did. His head scanned over the crowd of confused first years wondering where to go. Much like Diagon Alley, it was still busy, but much less so than what it usually was. The first years that were at the platform were followed by worried looking parents. Remus didn't quite blame parents for being apprehensive about letting their children go back to Hogwarts. Voldemort's ranks were rising by the minute; more and more attacks were being reported. People were going missing left and right, Remus' own parents were hesitant about letting him return to Hogwarts.

" _Remus, I just want you safe here, where I can keep an eye on you." Hope Lupin stressed the point to her son one morning at breakfast. Remus cringed, and sighed loudly._

" _Hogwarts is the safest place around, Dumbledore wouldn't let anything happen." Remus reassured his mother. Although he wasn't sure how much he believed in his words. Dumbledore after all had let a group of Death Eater's attack Hermione and get away with it._

" _I just—" Hope Lupin was interrupted by her husband._

" _He's right Hope," Lyall said with nod as he took a sip of his tea."Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards of all time. He wouldn't let anything happen to Remus." Lyall reassured his wife. Hope frowned and then her eyebrow lifted._

" _I'm just worried about your condition, Remus." Hope explained softly and Remus sneered back at his mother._

" _I've managed over the past six years, mum." He reminded his mother, wishing she hadn't brought up his Lycanthropy._

" _Hope, how would we be able to protect him here?" Lyall questioned his wife and she shrugged. "Dark times are coming, and if we want Remus to be able to defend himself, he's going to need to know how to defend himself." Lyall explained gently to Hope. Remus' mother sighed, but nodded her head anyways._

Remus was ripped out of his thoughts as he bumped into a tall red-head.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Remus muttered and then he looked up. "Fabian?" He questioned as he saw the tall freckled man.

"Gideon actually, but close guess anyways." Gideon said with a mischievous smirk as he playfully elbowed Remus in the ribs.

"What are you doing here? Does Dumbledore have Order members watching here as well?" Remus wondered as he looked around and tried to spot other Order members.

"Yeah, he wants to be prepared in case an _uninvited guest_ shows up," Gideon emphasized the word and Remus knowingly nodded his head.

"Oi! Moony!" Peter called from across the platform. Remus' head snapped towards his voice and he smiled as he saw Peter, Sirius, Hermione, and James waving to him. He quickly gave a apologetic glance to Gideon and then dashed over to his friends.

"You ready for final year, mate?" Sirius said with a smirk and Remus nodded his head. "We've got to do it big this year, boys. It's our final year, let's go out strong." Sirius explained as he hit his fist against his other palm. Hermione frowned next to him.

"Not too strong, though." She added hastily and the James snickered at her. Hermione looked around quickly then sighed. "You don't want to spend your final year in detention, do you?" She hissed at the boys and they murmured in agreement.

"Never mind her," Sirius said as he waved an arm at Hermione dismissively. Remus watched as Hermione rolled her eyes and then huffed as she looked up at Remus. Their eyes met and Remus couldn't stop the grin that grew on his face. Hermione nodded her head a bit to the left and walked away. Remus quickly followed and then was attacked with a large hug.

"What are you doing here?" Remus wondered, he thought she would meet them at Hogwarts.

"I've been with Lily for the past few days," Hermione explained to him quickly. "She's right, her family is horrid." She said with a smile. After a pause, Hermione sighed. "Three months is too long." Hermione looked up at Remus and smirked.

"I completely and utterly agree." Remus said as he pressed he lips to Hermione's. After a moment or two, she pulled away. Hermione rested her head against Remus' chest and sighed. His arms rested softly around her, they held her close to his chest and Remus inhaled deeply, relishing in her smell.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped after a moment. "Come on! I want to see James and Lily's reaction!" Hermione explained as she grabbed Remus by the hand and pulled him back towards his friend group.

"What?" Remus tilted his head in question but Hermione waved her hand at him in a dismissing manor. Remus' question soon became answered when Lily stomped up to the group. Remus watched as she poked James in the chest hard with a raised eyebrow.

"Is it true?" She questioned. Remus noticed that Lily's red hair was a bit longer than it usually was, and it was tied up with a black ribbon. James' face went bright red, he opened his mouth and then closed it as he nodded his head yes.

"Oh," Lily said with a small frown. Remus recognized the frown as one she usually did while she was concentrating, not a frown of disgust. Lily must have realized she was frowning however, because she forced a small, tight smile on her face. "Congratulations James, you—deserve it." She finished with one of her natural smiles.

James face lit up and he grinned as Lily walked away back towards where Marlene and Alice were gathered.

"I'll be right back," Hermione said as she reached up on her tip toes and kissed Remus on the cheek. "It's been a while since I've seen them." She motioned towards her dorm mates, then skipped off to go meet with them. Remus watched as she left and sighed.

"Lily handled that a lot better than I thought," James mused, the stupid smirk still implanted on his face. Sirius nudged him in the ribs then motioned towards the train.

"It's not like you two were still on bad terms." Remus noted as they boarded the Hogwarts Express.

"We were never on bad terms!" James defended himself quickly, and the other three boys snickered.

"Alright Prongs, or should I say, alright arrogant toe-rag," Peter snickered and sent the other three boys into hysterics.

"Okay, I was a bit of an arse a few years back." James admitted with an eye roll. "But we _all_ were." He reminded the other three boys. Remus nodded his head agreeing. Of course, James and Sirius were the two main afflicters. Remus knew he was no better than them though, he usually just watched and let the two boys do whatever they pleased. Peter did as well, Remus figured it was because they were both just so desperate to belong somewhere, and they didn't want to blow it by sticking up against their new found friends.

"And I think we've matured," James went on and Sirius snickered. "Okay, almost all of us." James said as he sent a mock glare towards Sirius. James found the compartment that they usually occupied and the four boys filed in.

Their exploding snap game was interrupted with a knock on the door. Remus' head snapped over and saw Hermione at the door, with Marlene, Alice and Lily behind her.

"All the others were full," Hermione said with an eye roll as the girls filed in and sat down. Hermione sat in between Remus and Peter and soon their hands found each other and intertwined.

"Congratulations James," Marlene said with a very Marlene like smile. Her brown tightly curled hair was shorter this year, and her eyes looked paler than usual. "You don't normally hear of a non-prefect making Head Boy, do you?" She said as she stole a piece of candy from Peter's loot.

"I've never heard of it." Lily clarified a bit louder than normal. Her face matched her hair and she cleared her throat to clarify. "What I meant was," Lily swallowed, "I looked in my books before this school year. It's very rare." She explained and the group nodded their heads.

"Oi, is that The Prophet, Wormtail?" Sirius wondered. Peter nodded his head and tossed Sirius the paper, which Sirius caught effortlessly. Sirius read it over then shook his head in disgust.

"What is it?" Alice attempted to peak over Sirius' shoulder.

"Want me to read it aloud?" Sirius asked. The group consensus was yes, so Sirius cleared his throat to read.

"Muggle Family Found Slaughtered," Sirius read the headline and Hermione went frigid next to Remus. Sirius paused and looked over at his friends, silently asking for approval to go on. James nodded his head once and Sirius continued.

"A muggle family was found slaughtered in their home Saturday night. The Dark Mark was found hovering over the house. While the family had no affiliation with any witch or wizard, more and more of the attacks seem to be random. Head of the Auror Department Alastor Moody has yet to make a statement, but the public is cautioned to remain calm and have your wand with you at all times." Sirius finished.

"A whole family?" Remus whispered in disgust and Sirius nodded his head.

"The Dark Mark was found over the house? Why aren't they arresting Death Eaters?" Hermione demanded a bit more hostilely then Remus was used too.

"It's not the simple Hermione," James began, but soon realized that this was a battle he did not want to fight in.

"Mum almost didn't let me go back," Peter mumbled and the group turned towards him. "She doesn't think its safe at Hogwarts." He admitted with a shrug.

"My parents are muggles and even they know the wizarding world isn't safe now." Lily confessed to the group. "They begged me to stay and attend muggle school. I couldn't though, I don't belong there—I belong here." Remus caught Lily share a small smile with James and Hermione squeezed his hand tightly.

"Frank's training to be an Auror," Alice piped up. "He told me that once they catch one Death Eater, it seems like five more pop up." She told them. "I don't understand how someone could think such awful things. We're all human, just because you're pureblood doesn't mean you're better than someone who isn't. How can people be so cruel?"

"My family prides themselves on being cruel," Sirius spat bitterly. "I just—I wish I could've done something for Regulus." Sirius put his head in his hands. "He didn't stand a chance after I was sorted into Gryffindor, he didn't have a chance." He mumbled to himself. James wrapped an arm tightly around Sirius' shoulder and the rest of the train ride remained silent.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

As they reached Hogwarts, Remus, Lily, and James disappeared to help Hagrid with the first years. Hermione rode the carriages to Hogwarts, completely lost in her own thoughts. She was very surprised when she was allowed to stay with Lily for the remainder of summer break. It was only for a night, but Dumbledore eagerly agreed to it, as did Lily's parents. Lily's mother and father were wonderful people, Hermione realized very quickly. Petunia was a completely different story. It was apparent right when Hermione met her that Petunia was insanely jealous of her sister.

"The castle is always so lovely at night," Alice's words brought Hermione out of her thoughts. She glanced up at the large; vast castle that overlooking the Black Lake. Hermione smiled at the castle. Although she had been locked up in Hogwarts for most of the summer, the idea of going back with all of her friends and classmates excited her.

"I can't believe it's our last year," Marlene murmured and the group agreed.

As the carriage made its way to the castle, Hermione could feel herself grow more and more excited. She couldn't wait to see the castle bustling with eager students again. Hermione and the others made their way towards the Gryffindor table, where they were reunited with James, Lily, and Remus. Remus sat down next to Hermione and she rested her head easily upon his shoulder.

"There's not that many first years this year," Remus noted to Hermione. Hermione bit her lip and took this in. She wasn't surprised, Voldemort was gaining power and parents were probably worried about leaving their kids out of their sights. It happened back when Hermione was in her own time as well.

"Doesn't really look like it," Hermione noted as she stretched her neck to look at the nervous first years. While there were still plenty, there was not nearly as many as there usually was. The thought haunted Hermione. Once Dumbledore began the commencement speech Hermione's eyes wandered upon the staff table.

Professor Bode sat between Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn. Everyone around him was looking up at Dumbledore with great admiration and respect, but Professor Bode's eyes were elsewhere. Hermione followed them towards the Slytherin table. She couldn't tell who he was looking at, but it appeared that he wasn't able to get their attention.

Just as Hermione's eyes were about to leave the staff table, they were caught by Bode's. They weren't staring at her, but through her. It made her feel uneasy and she went rigid. Next to her, Remus raised an eyebrow at her strange behavior. Hermione motioned her head toward the staff table and Remus' eyes found their Professor's.

"Did he do something?" Remus asked quietly and Hermione shook her head uncomfortably. _Not yet, anyways…_ Hermione thought bitterly. She knew Professor Bode was up to no good, and she was surprised that no one else had caught on yet to his suspicious behavior.

Once Dumbledore's speech was finished, the sorting hat sang its song loudly, startling a few surprised first years. Finally, Professor McGonagall stood up and pulled out a long piece of parchment with the first year's names on it.

"Baddock, Phillip!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table erupted into a loud cheer and the small first year skipped over to go sit down at the opposite table. Hermione watched as Peter leaned into Sirius and whispered something into his ear, causing Sirius to snicker.

"Bradley, Michael"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" The sorting hat screeched out loudly.

The Hufflepuff table screamed with pride as the blonde first year slowly walked over to the table and sat down.

Hermione thought back to the time she was sorted, and then even further back as to when Professor McGonagall visited her house to tell her she was a witch. She knew she had been different; things happened to her that shouldn't have, and she always felt different than her schoolmates. The day Professor McGonagall visited her home though, that was the day everything changed.

At first Hermione was thrilled to find out that she was a witch. The fairytales that she read when she was younger were now allowed to be reality. Magic was real, and so Hermione believed that anything was possible. She begged her parents to buy her books ahead of time, so she'd be able to read them all over twice before the school year started. While the idea of being a witch appealed to her, Hermione was frightened that she wouldn't be smart enough, or good enough, or magical enough to stay.

Hermione figured that that was why she stressed so much about her school work. She feared that one day; her teachers would pull her aside and tell her that she actually wasn't magical. That it had all been a terrible mistake and she was to go home immediately. She knew this was a childish fear, but she couldn't bear parting with the wizarding world. This place was her home, it was where she belonged.

"Hinky, Craig" Professor McGonagall called out quite loudly.

"RAVENCLAW!" The sorting hat screamed.

Ravenclaw's table cheered loudly and the boy skipped over to his new found home for the next seven years of his life.

Remus sighed loudly next to Hermione, causing her to turn to him and raise an eyebrow.

"I just can't believe that after all of this, it's all over." He explained quietly as the sorting hat called out more of the first year's names.

"I know." Hermione said absentmindedly. Her thoughts ran back to Harry and Ron, and how things had been so very different in her own time.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thank you all so much for reading! Please review!**


	49. Chapter 49

**Greetings Everyone! I have a new chapter for you, I hope you enjoy! How do you guy overall like this fic? I know it's a long one, and it's my first ever, but I hope it's satisfactory. Also I was thinking, if anyone wants, or knows of a beta who wouldn't mind fixing my past chapters up a bit more, please let me know! I've never used a beta before, and I'm sure my chapters could use one. Thank you all so much for reading! You don't understand how much it means to me that people like what I'm writing! Thank you!**

 _ **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter series, I do not.**_

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

It had been a fairly long day, but Hermione wasn't at all tired. She sat in her bed facing the other girls; it had been too long since they had last seen each other and Hermione was greatly enjoying their presence. It was still odd having such close friends that were girls. Back in her own time, Hermione often clashed with Parvati and Lavender, and much rather preferred the company of Ron and Harry. It wasn't that she thought she was too good for her old dorm mates, quite the opposite in fact. It was just that Hermione didn't seem to have a thing in common with them. While Hermione was interested in books and studying, Lavender and Parvati seemed to thrive off of talking about boys in their year. Hermione also lacked the attentive sympathy that the two girls often craved in their companionship. The three girls were never necessarily on bad terms, but they soon found out that they'd much rather stay out of each other's way.

Being locked up in this room all summer surprisingly had no effect on Hermione now. The castle was full of life, and Hermione was thrilled to see students swarming its halls. She never thought Hogwarts could be capable of being so miserable—omit when Umbridge was involved— but she soon found out it could be completely awful when you were alone. But now Hogwarts was crowded with children of all different ages, and Hermione was thriving off of the sudden business of its corridors. Even her dorm room did a complete 180. It felt more comfortable now that it was full, and Hermione couldn't wipe the grin off of her face if she tried.

"Tell us more about you and Frank!" Marlene pressed Alice once all the girls gathered on their own beds. For once in her life, Hermione was excited to have a little "girl talk" with her friends. She was just happy that she was surrounded by people again.

"What do you want to know?" Alice wondered with a mischievous smile.

"Everything!" Lily and Marlene gasped at the same time, which sent all of the girls into hysterics. Hermione gasped slightly as Khons' found his place on Hermione's bed and began purring loudly. None of the girls had taken much notice of the large white cat; they had seen him sulking around in the common room multiple times before.

"I really love him," Alice admitted. "I think we're planning on moving in together after I leave Hogwarts." Alice confessed to the other girls. "Frank wants me to join him in the Auror program, but I'm not sure yet." Alice told the girls.

"You'd do well as an Auror," Lily noted from her bed across the room. Marlene and Hermione nodded in agreement.

Fabian and Gideon's words repeated themselves in Hermione's ears. They had both said she'd make a worthy Auror, but she wasn't sure if that's what she wanted. If Hermione was being honest, she often avoided the topic of future plans as long as she could. She didn't like the constant violence that Auror's had to put up with or the great amount of physical work that came with the career. Hermione had already faced enough conflict in her life, she wasn't sure she'd like to pursue a career that often dealt with it. She knew that she would have to make a decision soon enough, but Hermione wasn't sure how much of a future she would even have.

"I'm scared to commit to something," Marlene said in nearly a whisper. "I just—I just don't know how this war is going to go. _He's_ getting stronger day by day, I don't want to get excited about a future I won't even have." Marlene said quietly, she ran a hand through her dark brown hair and sighed. Her normally bright blue eyes were dull, and Hermione could see them watering at the inner corner.

The words were like a slap in the face to Hermione. She quickly walked over to Marlene's bed and grabbed her hands tightly in her own. Lily and Alice followed suit and sat down on Marlene's bed to comfort her.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Hermione promised as she squeezed Marlene's hands in her own. "I promise I won't let anyone harm you," Hermione comforted her, and then she turned to the other two girls.

"We're a family; we're going to make it out of this alive. I promise we'll make it out." Hermione whispered to the other girls. Lily's bright green eyes were littered with tears, and Alice was smiling appreciatively. The girls laid like that for a while, cuddled up on Marlene's bed; just enjoying the presence of each other. None of them knew what their future had in store, and Hermione thought that that was perfectly okay.

The next morning Hermione woke up before all of her dorm mates. She found herself wandering down to the common room with a book in her hand and her bag in the other. When she reached the last few steps, she was surprised to see Sirius already awake, sitting in front of the fireplace, staring into the low burning fire.

"Are you alright?" Hermione cleared her throat and awkwardly asked. She felt like Sirius might have wanted to be left alone, but Hermione couldn't leave without asking. Sirius turned around at her words, and then smiled slightly. He gave her a look and then motioned towards the spot next to him. Taking it as an invitation, Hermione walked over to him and sat down in front of the fire, barely feeling any heat radiating off of it.

"What are you doing awake so early?" Sirius questioned. Hermione pondered the question for a moment, and then gently nudged him.

"What are _you_ doing up so early? Isn't this like, against everything you stand for?" Hermione teased him again with another nudge.

"Ha-ha, you're so funny Hermione. So extraordinarily funny." Sirius said sarcastically, and then let out a loud barking laugh. "And just so you're aware, your boyfriend is the one who sleeps in. He's threatened me with death for waking him up early before." Sirius said with a grin and Hermione rolled her eyes. Sighing, Hermione changed the subject.

"I can't believe we are in our seventh year," Hermione noted as she stared down at the burning coals before her. She stuck her arms out in a weak attempt to warm them, but the coals hardly let off any heat.

"I know," Sirius said in awe. "Have any big plans for the future?" he wondered curiously.

"Oh you know…Nothing too big. Just defeating a tyrannical, radical, pureblood-mania Dark Lord." Hermione sighed. The two shared a look, and then burst into laughter. Hermione rested her head on his shoulder, and then after a moment or two, Sirius sighed.

"I was thinking about my family, by the way." Sirius said suddenly. It took Hermione a moment to realize what he was talking about, but she figured it out quickly. "Why they're so awful." Hermione remained quiet, unsure of what to say.

"They aren't all awful," Hermione reminded him, thinking of Regulus. Sirius obviously took this in another way and nodded his head knowingly.

"I know that Andromeda is fine," He paused for a moment, and then shook his head. "But the rest are so cruel. Black's are known for being cruel, did you know that? Do you know how awful it feels to be known for being cruel?" He asked and shook his head in disgust. "Being known for being awful?" Sirius took another deep breath. "They're so wrapped up in being better than everyone else; they don't care if _they're_ horrible people."

Hermione pursed her lips, not knowing what she should say. She was never very good in situations like this. She was more logic than feeling, and usually ended up making the other person feel worse off. However, this time, remaining silent was surprisingly the right thing to do.

"And the worst thing," Sirius laughed bitterly, "The worst thing is that they believe what they think is right. They actually believe they're better than other people." Sirius swallowed hard. "And Regulus had a chance, and I failed him. I should've got him out while I had the chance," Sirius finished.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably. She wanted to tell Sirius everything she knew about Regulus, but she knew she couldn't. Instead Hermione cleared her throat and turned to face Sirius.

"We're your family Sirius," Hermione said and grabbed Sirius' hand tightly. It seemed as though she was comforting a lot more people recently. "It's rough now, but it'll get better. I promise." She whispered and he nodded his head. Footsteps behind them alerted Hermione, and soon she heard a voice and felt a familiar tingling sensation in her body.

"Morning," Remus croaked from behind them. Hermione's head snapped around and she couldn't help but smirk at Remus. He had gotten dressed, but didn't put much effort into it. His curly mop of hair was as messy as James' usually was, and his voice was still sleepy. Hermione stood up quickly and walked over to Remus followed by Sirius. Hermione stuck a hand up and ruffled it through Remus' dark blonde hair, letting out a giggle as she did so. He groaned in protest but didn't stop her, a satisfied smile rested on his tired looking face.

"Sleep well?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow and Remus snorted.

"I could've kept _sleeping well,_ but Peter snores. Loud." Remus said dryly and Hermione laughed. She went to run her hand through his hair again, but this time Remus' hand shot up and caught hers. Hermione jerked her hand back but Remus held onto it tight and gave her a sleepy smile. His hand darted out towards her quick and pulled her close, tickling her as he wrapped her up into a tight hug. Hermione squirmed against him, giggling loudly and waffling against him. Next to them Sirius loudly cleared his throat.

"Anyone care for breakfast? I'm starving." Sirius announced. Hermione felt herself blush as she nodded her head and pulled away from Remus.

"Should we see if the others are awake?" Hermione wondered as they headed towards the door.

"They'll come when they come," Sirius shrugged grumpily. Hermione nodded her head and dismissed Sirius' sudden mood change, but didn't comment on it. Instead, she led the two boys out of the common room and towards the Great Hall.

Once they reached the Great Hall, the trio sat down at the Gryffindor table. It wasn't long before more Gryffindor's started filing their way into the Great Hall and sitting down for Breakfast. Soon, Lily took her place next to Hermione and schedules began mixing.

Hermione's eyes couldn't help but drift over towards the Slytherin table. She wasn't looking for anyone in specific, but when her eyes found Regulus she felt suddenly relieved. For some reason, she wouldn't believe that Regulus or Severus were alright until she saw him. Her mind replayed Regulus' screams and she felt herself go frigid.

Regulus' eyes met Hermione, and he gave her a weak nod, but nothing else. Being acknowledged was enough for Hermione. Regulus was surrounded by either Death Eaters, or Death Eaters in the making, Hermione was just thrilled that he noticed her at all.

Hermione's eyes fell down the table a bit more, and soon they found Snape. He was surrounded by people, but he kept his head down and wasn't speaking. Hermione bit the inside of her cheek and willed Snape to look up at her, just so she knew he was okay, but he remained looking down at his oatmeal.

"Are you okay?" Remus wondered next to her. Hermione's head snapped over to him and she nodded quickly.

"Yeah, it's just weird being around so many people again." Hermione lied, hoping that it was at least a bit believable.

Remus didn't look entirely convinced, but he remained quiet. A few moments later, Severus got up from the table and walked towards Regulus. Hermione stretched her neck so she could follow Snape's movements. The greasy haired wizard leaned down towards Regulus and murmured something in his ear. Regulus put down his fork and nodded his head, then stood up and followed Snape out of the Great Hall.

Seeing her chance, Hermione quickly looked around the Gryffindor table.

"I'm going to the bathroom, I'll see you in potions, okay?" Hermione quickly told Remus before pecking him on the cheek and following the two Slytherins out of the Great Hall.

Hermione didn't care how suspicious she looked as she followed the two boys out of the hall. Regulus' screams had haunted her for the past several nights. Although she saw and knew that Regulus was alright, she couldn't help but worry about his and Severus' well being.

Hermione turned down an empty corridor, passing by a few lost first years as she struggled to keep up with the Slytherins. Regulus and Severus leaned into each other, whispering as they passed by Professor McGonagall. As Hermione rounded the next corner, she lost sight of them and cursed to herself under her breath.

"What..?" Hermione whispered in confusion, she had just seen them a moment ago; they couldn't have gotten very far in front of her…

Just as Hermione stomped past the corner, she her a clicking noise to her right and then was jerked in the same direction.

"Oof!" Hermione gasped as she stumbled onto her knees and into an abandoned classroom. Hermione slowly looked up and found a disconcerted Severus and Regulus. The two Slytherin's stood over her, but each of their expression varied greatly. Snape stared down at her with his regular sneer; he was radiating a certain annoyance that Hermione was used too. Regulus however was smirking slightly; his gray eyes were smiling down at her and Hermione instantly remembered his screams.

"What was the sneak attack for?" She hissed as she stood up and brushed her hands off on her pleated skirt. Severus snorted and rolled his eyes, an action Hermione was all too familiar with.

"Don't act like you don't know," He spat at her. "Why were you following us?" He raised a questioning eyebrow. Hermione inhaled sharply at the question. She hadn't thought she had been so obvious, she felt herself go bright red.

"I wasn't aware I was," Hermione lied. Next to her, Regulus let out a barking laugh that was reminiscent of Sirius'.

"Granger, it was completely obvious. If you're going to follow us, maybe you should learn how to do it unnoticed. Our Slytherin _friends_ wouldn't take kindly to knowing we are skiving around with a Gryffindor. Especially one of _your_ variety." The words flowed easily off of Regulus' tongue, and for once Hermione wasn't sure how to reply without sounding stupid.

"My variety?" Hermione repeated slowly. "And what exactly does that entitle?" Hermione was the one who crossed her arms now.

Regulus let out a nervous laugh, and then promptly cleared his throat. "What I meant was—"

"What he means," Snape cut Regulus off before he had a chance to finish. "Is that you probably shouldn't try to contact us during school. _He_ has eyes and ears everywhere, and I would prefer to _survive_ another year," Snape drawled on. The way he spat out _survive_ made Hermione shiver, it made Hermione feel like they weren't living, that they were just struggling to keep themselves from dying. It made her nauseas.

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright," Hermione admitted as she bit her lip. The whole conversation had gone more awkward than she had expected.

"You knew we were fine," Regulus countered and Hermione felt herself shrug.

"I know." Hermione threw her hands up defensively. "But I just can't get the sound of you screaming out of my mind." Hermione confessed; just the thought of his screams made Hermione pale.

"Oh, yes well, that was pretty brutal." Regulus nodded his head, remembering the awful events that took place this summer. Hermione nodded her head slightly agreeing.

"He's fine." Snape snapped quickly. "We're all fine. But your insistent worrying is going to get us killed one day, so please stop." Snape demanded. Hermione blinked at him but slowly nodded her head.

"If it makes you feel better, I don't really remember the pain anymore. It sort of faded away." Regulus shrugged awkwardly as he messed up his usually neat dark hair. When Hermione remained silent, Regulus cleared his throat. "If I can forget it, so can you."

"Okay," Hermione said after a few moments. "Thanks. And I won't try to talk to you guys again, or at least I won't do it so obviously." Hermione said with a shrug as she headed for the door. Once she placed her hand on it she paused and turned around.

"Please," Hermione pleaded with the two Slytherin's. "Try and stay alive." She told them, then walked out of the room.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thank you so much for reading! All of you guys are so wonderful and magical and amazing! Please please please review and let me know what you think! I have exciting plans for this story and I can't wait for you guys to see them!(:**


	50. Chapter 50

**Greetings Everyone! 50 CHAPTERS WHOAH!**

 **New chapter, I hope you like it, please leave a review and tell me what you think!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe, not me!**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

Weeks went by and the warm summer air turned brisk and cold as October fell upon them. Remus found his seventh and final year at Hogwarts to be someone tame compared to his others. He wasn't sure if it was due that he and the rest of his tight knit friend group had matured, or because they had lost their certain aurora of moxie that they had possessed in their earlier lives. Remus was almost certain it was the former, it was impossible to lose something that was a part of you, or at least he thought it was pretty hard too.

Remus rolled over in his bed and pulled the large crochet blanket that his mother had made him over his head, attempting to block out Peter's repetitive wheezes. With the blanket failing miserably, Remus grabbed a nearby pillow and held it over his ears, a last ditch effort at drowning out his friend's snores.

When the pillow failed immensely, Remus ripped the pillow off of his head and sent it flying in his sleeping friend's direction.

"Ouch!" Peter's snoring hitched and he grumbled out a reply. "Who did that?"

"It definitely wasn't me," Remus said dryly and then groaned. "And I definitely didn't do it because you obviously do not have a breathing condition that Madam Pomfrey should clearly not check out." Remus sarcastically retorted. He didn't do mornings well to begin with, add in a loud and snoring Peter—it made for a grumpy Remus.

"Oh, okay…" Peter blinked from his bed and then sat up. Remus wasn't expecting the pillow that came soaring threw the air at him and hit him lazily in the face. From Sirius' bed, Sirius sighed loudly.

"Peter, I'll have none of that in my room." He told his pudgy friend, and then he turned to Remus. "And you Moony, too much sarcasm much too early. Try and tone it down, please." Sirius said with a smirk and Remus rolled his eyes.

"Ahah!" James cried from his bed as he sat up and pointed at Remus. "That right there was too much sass, no eye rolling allowed! Ten points from Moony!" He cried out into the early morning. Remus flinched and ran a hand through his curls.

"Stop yelling!" Remus shouted back at James, who had found his glasses on the bedside table and was wearing an impeccable smirk.

"Twenty points from Moony!" James announced loudly to the room. Remus' mouth fell open and he frowned.

"You can't—"

"Thirty points!" Peter cried from his bed, and James nodded his head approvingly.

"Shut up—"

"FORTY POINTS!" Sirius screamed and Remus dead panned at the four boys.

"I'm going to—"

"FIFTY POINTS FROM MOONY!" James yelled at the top of his lungs, sending the other two boys into complete hysterics. After a few moments of breathy laughter, Remus swallowed and cleared his throat.

"I'm going to shower," Remus paused and waited for one of them to interrupt, but they remained silent. "I'll meet you in the common room?" He raised a brow and James nodded his head eagerly with a smirk. His hazel eyes dancing over to Sirius', and they both shared a knowing look. Remus ignored it however and made his way out of his dorm room. Once he shut the door, he swore he could hear them burst into a blatant guffaw.

As Remus turned the shower all the way to the left, the scorching water poured out of the faucet in inconsistent patterns, falling onto the shower floor in an unrhythmic melody of noise. The water hit Remus' skin lightly and then hard, lightly and then hard. Remus rather enjoyed the shower. It was a place where he could let himself go for once, not have to worry about exposing one of his many scars that would raise questions.

He let the water hit his face and then slowly drip off, falling down onto the tile floor. Remus did a lot of his thinking in the shower as well. He thought about Hermione, and he thought a lot about the war that was storming on outside of the castle. Just last week, a kid had been sent home because of a death in his family, and it was rumored that it had been due to a Death Eater attack.

He knew that Hermione was sent back here to defeat Voldemort, or to at least die trying. Remus knew that Dumbledore had given Hermione a large favor by letting her live a life her next two years at Hogwarts. It made Remus feel a sense of gratitude for Dumbledore, for him sharing Hermione with the rest of them, for letting them enjoy her presence for as long as they could. But Hermione was sent here on a mission, and as much as Remus hated to admit it, the mission came before him.

The problem with Dumbledore letting Hermione stay, was that Remus had grown attached and he was almost certain everyone else had as well. Hermione had made a life here, and Remus was a massive part of it. He didn't want to lose her; she was his mate, another extension of himself. There was no one he had ever felt closer with, if he lost her, Remus would lose a part of himself.

As the water dripped down his scarred torso, Remus sighed loudly. He lifted up his hand and traced it over the mark Hermione had gifted him with. His hand delicately walked over the scar, tracing every indent and crease, and he thought of his mate once again. Remus found it odd that Hermione's mark had remained on his body. If it was just a regular human bite, it definitely would have faded by now, or even completely disappeared. But instead, the mark remained a silvery color, much like his other scars that stood out against his pale skin. Remus figured it had something to do with Hermione being his mate. Although she wasn't a werewolf like him, she had similar tendencies of a wolf due to being claimed and marked by Remus. Maybe Hermione was more wolf than either of them had initially thought.

A sudden rapt on the door brought Remus out of his thoughts.

"Oi, mate! Hope you're done wanking in there; we have to get to class soon! Slughorn will have our arses' if we're late again!" Sirius' voice called from the other side of the door. Remus rolled his eyes at his friend's brass words.

"Coming!" Remus called as he rinsed off quickly and then hopped out of the shower. He patted himself dry and then hastily threw on his uniform and robes. Remus scurried out of the bathroom where the three other boys were lounging.

"Alright, we better get going before Slughorn curses us," James said hastily as he led the way out of the Gryffindor common room.

Sirius held his hand up to his forehead in mock salute and nodded his head curtly. "Aye Aye Head Boy," Sirius said and the pulled his hand away quickly and clicked his heals together, causing Remus and Peter both to sputter out a stifled laugh.

Despite the risk of showing up late, the Marauders strolled through the corridors lazily and at ease, seemingly not in a hurry of any sort. They appeared at Slughorn's right on time, and Remus' stomach tingled as he spotted Hermione near the front of the room sitting by Marlene. She grinned at him and then motioned towards his hair. Remus' hand shot up quickly and rubbed down a particular odd curl that was sticking straight up. Hermione nodded her head quickly with a large smile, the mischievous glint never leaving her eyes.

Remus made his way towards the back of the room and sat down next to Sirius, instantly noticing a mysterious cauldron that was sitting in between them on their desks. Remus casted a quick glance around the room and soon found that every desk had a small cauldron on it. Sirius seemed to notice the same thing, because he raised an eyebrow at the cauldron, then at Remus.

"It appears," Slughorn called from the front of the room. "That some of you have grown rather curious about the suspicious potion that sits on your desks." Slughorn reached a hand up to his rather large mustache and stroked it, a gesture that Remus always found hilarious.

"Today," Professor Slughorn addressed the class. "We have a bit of a competition." At the news of this, Slytherin and Gryffindor students suddenly perked up, giving their professor their undivided attention.

"Quite an easy one, no doubt if you just use your brain," Slughorn added. "The first pair, who correctly guesses what the potion is, wins…" Slughorn held up a small vile of potion.

"Felix Felicis, sir?" Lily wondered from the front of the class.

"Ah, Ms. Evans, correct once more." Slughorn smiled down brightly at her. "You lot know I'm rather fond of a light hearted competition. One vile will be presented to both partners of the winning pair; I hope you chose your partner wisely today." He said with a smirk. Students looked around at their own partners, and then at others, no doubt sizing up their competition. These competitions were often occurrences in Slughorn's classroom, and usually Lily won them all.

Remus turned toward Sirius, and couldn't help but be thankful for his partner. While Sirius rarely studied and procrastinated his homework, he was bloody brilliant. It used to make Remus bitter and jealous, but Remus soon grew to be proud of working hard for what he deserved. Every grade he received was because he worked for and deserved it, and that was something to be proud of.

Sirius however was a different story, he easily passed his exams and blew through his homework—when he finally decided to do it, that is. Knowledge came easy to him, Remus was sure it had something to do with being raised in such a privileged household, tutors and special teachers were probably brought in before Sirius could even talk.

"You ready to win?" Sirius smirked as he peaked over the cauldron. Remus let out a chuckle and turned around to face the desk behind him. James sat next to Peter and was shaking his head into his hand. Peter was looking around the room frantically, already panicking about the situation. To say Peter was dull would be misspoken; it wasn't that Peter wasn't smart; he just cracked under the lightest bit of pressure.

"You have your potions book to reference from," Slughorn announced to the class. "Begin."

Students all around the class leaned over the cauldron and peered inside it. A few brave ones sniffed it, and others were flipping rapidly through their books. Remus looked inside his own cauldron and saw it to be full of a sheen liquid, the steam spiraling off of it in an unfamiliar fashion.

Next to him, Sirius was scribbling down the characteristics, and then loudly cleared his throat.

"Well go on," Sirius said as he motioned toward the cauldron. "Get a sniff." Remus' jaw dropped in disbelief and he let out a loud snort.

"Why don't _you_ get a sniff, Padfoot?" He questioned and nudged his friend. Sirius scoffed and crossed his arms. Then the raven haired wizard leaned in towards Remus and cleared his throat.

"You have the better smell, mate." He said as he jerked a thumb in Remus' direction. "Y'know, werewolf and all." He said in a much lower voice. Remus dead panned at his friend and finally snorted.

"You're just as much dog as I am, Padfoot." He told him with a smile. "So much so, I'm surprised you don't have a tail." He teased and Sirius blinked at him.

"Whatever, I'll do it." Sirius finally gave in. "I actually want to win," He added under his breath, which Remus rolled his eyes too. Remus grabbed the quill and parchment and was ready to write down any notes as Sirius inhaled the potion deeply.

"Hmm… It smells like…cinnamon, I think." Sirius said, then closed his eyes and inhaled once more. "It smells like rain and…and…the library, books I think." Sirius finished and then sat back down in his stool, confused. Remus raised an eyebrow at Sirius then flipped through his book quickly.

"That doesn't make sense, no potions smells like… _the library_." Remus muttered as he continued looking through the book.

"I wasn't lying to you, see for yourself," Sirius said as he motioned his hand toward the cauldron. Remus nodded his head and leaned over the cauldron.

The first smell that came to him was familiar. A warm comforting smell, a smell in which Remus could have inhaled forever. It consumed every bit of him and swallowed him whole, and Remus didn't even mind. Sirius was correct, the potion definitely smelled of cinnamon and fresh rain. It smelled of the library as well, but there was also something else…Something Remus couldn't quite place…

"No, you're right. It does smell like that." Remus said to Sirius and then frowned at the potion. "I'm—I'm not sure what it is." He admitted and Sirius frowned.

Sirius leaned forward once more to smell, and a small smile came upon his face.

"Smells like Hermione, mate. I swear her perfume smells like this." Sirius said after a moment, and then inhaled again. "Or maybe it's her shampoo, I'm not sure." This peaked Remus' interest, and he leaned forward and inhaled again.

Sirius was correct, this did smell oddly just like Hermione. But Remus wasn't aware Hermione wore any perfume, and he was certain that her shampoo smelled more like apples. Just as he was about to point this out, Lily's hand shot up in the air quickly. Slughorn gasped from his desk and stood up, bringing the class to a silence.

"Miss Evans, have you found out what this particular potion is?" Professor Slughorn asked, causing gasps to spew out over the room.

"Yes sir," Lily said clearly. "It's Amortentia."

Remus felt himself inhale harshly. Amortentia smelled different to everyone, its aroma depended on whatever the person who smelled it was attracted to most. It was obvious that Remus would smell Hermione. She was his mate, and his girlfriend; it would make sense that he would smell her in the potion.

Remus felt a sudden jab of insecurity. What if Hermione didn't smell him? What if she smelled broomsticks and leather jackets, and everything that Remus was not. His insecurities quickly faded as he turned to look at Sirius.

They had both smelled Hermione; his realization was only just dawning on Remus. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but Sirius sat forward. His eyes staring straight at Slughorn and his hands folded in one another, attempting to look like he was paying attention to whatever Slughorn was rambling on about. Maybe Remus should leave it alone. Hermione was with him now, and he wasn't threatened of Sirius. He didn't want to start another fight with Sirius anyways, their friendship meant too much to him. Remus thought that maybe he should just pretend the past hour hadn't occurred; it seemed to be what Sirius was doing.

Slughorn droned on about the potion for a short while longer before handing off his prize to Lily and Alice. The two girls pocketed their viles, and then turned and looked at each other, giggling in the process.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione quickly found Remus after they were dismissed and instantly intertwined her hand with his.

"How _did_ you like that lesson, Remus?" Hermione said with a smirk as she looked up at him. Remus' pale bluish-green eyes stared blank at her for a moment, and then crinkled up into a grin.

"I thought it was absolutely dreadful." He teased and then nudged her with his hip. Hermione laughed loudly as she stumbled into an unsuspecting first year and then sighed loudly.

"So please enlighten me," Hermione announced clearly. "What exactly did you smell?" She raised an eyebrow and bit her bottom lip, waiting for an answer. In front of her, Remus shifted a bit awkwardly, and stared down at his feet. After another moment or two, Remus cleared his throat and sighed.

" _You_ obviously," He said in a teasing tone that Hermione adored.

"Elaborate," Hermione clarified, and Remus let out a hearty chuckle.

"I smelled cinnamon, books, and rain…And now that I think of it, hot chocolate as well." Remus grinned, and Hermione fought the urge to blush. "All of those things smell very much like you, don't you think?" Remus wondered. Hermione shrugged her shoulders and paused to think.

"Cinnamon," Hermione repeated after a moment. "I _hate_ cinnamon." She admitted quietly and Remus let out another chuckle.

"And what, may I ask, did you smell?" Remus casually asked, but Hermione could sense an urgent need to know behind his pale eyes.

"Hmm…" Hermione thought for a moment, thinking back to the delicious smell she was encountered with earlier in the day. "I smelled freshly washed blankets, parchment, a burning fire, and wolf." Hermione confessed to Remus.

" _Wolf?"_ Remus repeated incredulously. "What does _wolf_ smell like?" Remus' eyes were large and his eyebrows reached his hairline.

"You, Remus. It smells like you," Hermione clarified as she poked Remus in the stomach. Remus stared at her for a moment and then laughed loudly and pulled her in for a warm embrace. Hermione melted into Remus, happy for the sudden reach of affection. She smiled against his chest, inhaling the familiar and loving scents. Hermione decided then, that she was never going to tell Remus that she also smelled the faint scent of old cigarettes, leather, and Firewhiskey.

~Until Next Time~

 **Ooooh! I know, what a place to leave off! HAHAH! Thank you so much for reading, it means a lot to me! Please review and let me know how you like it, I love hearing from you guys, it makes me write so much faster!**


	51. Chapter 51

**Greetings Everyone! I'm still looking for a beta if anyone is interested! So another new chapter, please please review!**

 **Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns the Harry Potter Universe, not me.**

 _ **Remus' POV**_

The week leading up to the full moon wasn't nearly as awful as it normally was. Ever since Hermione and Severus had successfully concocted a potion to make Remus stay sane as a wolf, the entire process seemed to be much easier. The transformation itself was still brutal, Remus was still able to feel every bone break and reform, and he could still hear the tearing of his joints and the growing of his new muscles.

But the lone thought of being able to control himself in wolf form made it much less painful. Remus had grown up fearing that he would be the cause of someone else's tragic back story. Remus had grown up in fear of being the villain that every childhood fairy tale had groomed him to be. But now, Remus was able to be himself, he was able to stop himself from hurting others.

Remus took off his shirt, and then shed his pants on the floor. Next he slipped out of his shoes and looked up at his three friends. He was currently in the shrieking shack, waiting for the moon to transform his body into the beast. Peter, James, and Sirius stood around him, anxiously waiting the same.

"You feel like hunting tonight, Moony?" James asked curiously. Remus shook his head, the nauseas feeling of the beginning of the transformation was starting deep within his stomach.

"Sleeping," He repeated. "I think I just want to sleep." He confessed to the three boys. They all nodded their heads in agreement as they watched Remus involuntarily twitch. They still weren't used to this side of Moony, the side that Remus could control. When Remus wasn't in control of his body, Moony would hunt endlessly for hours, his wolf instincts overtaking his entire self. But with the Wolfsbane potion, this Moony had been completely different.

Remus could nearly feel himself vibrating. His skin was moving all around him, very fast. He felt the first bit of transformation deep within his stomach; where it usually started. His insides turned wolf before his outsides did, that's how Remus liked to think of it. He blinked, and then opened his eyes once more; revealing a new, yellow color that Remus always wore when he was Moony.

He gasped as his legs twisted underneath him, and he fell to his knees. The bones in his legs cracked and split apart, and then reformed together in a new shape. Remus wondered what he had possibly done in a past life to deserve this excruciating pain once a month. His nails turned into claws, and he watched as his light gray fur sprouted all over his body.

Remus' arms fell out from under him, and Remus hit the old wooden floor with a loud thud. He twisted and turned in every direction as the infection took over his entire body. He involuntarily screamed out in agony, and then clawed his face in an attempt to make the pain go away. Although he was in his right mind, the wolf's instinct was still there, waiting perhaps for Remus to slip up, waiting to announce and show itself. Remus gasped loudly, choking on the air that wasn't escaping his lungs. The pain inside him burned. He gulped at the air for more breath, but couldn't find it anywhere inside of himself to actually breathe.

And as soon as the transformation began, it was finished. Moony laid down shakily on the dirty shack floor. Still not quite used to his wolf body yet, he shakily stood up and stretched out his large form. The large stag stood in front of him, his head tilted down at the wolf.

Moony nodded his head at the stag and then laid back down in the nearby corner. His head rested on his paws and he closed his eyes.

 _ **Hermione's POV**_

Hermione woke up the next morning earlier than her dorm mates. She quickly put up a silencing charm up around her and then moved to the foot of her bed where her trunk was. She opened it up quickly and dug through it, pulling out old pictures and books as she a few minutes of rummaging through her things, she had the sudden urge to visit Remus.

Remus had told her before that he didn't need her to visit him in the hospital wing, and for the most part, Hermione had respected his decision. She could understand the humiliating factor about being bandaged up and injured once a month. But something in Hermione's stomach gnawed at her. She knew she couldn't save Remus from his injuries, even with the potion, but she could try to make him feel a bit more comfortable in the aftermath. And plus, Remus was very fond of chocolate, so it was the least she could do.

As Hermione turned down the corridor in the direction of the Hospital Wing, she heard loud footsteps echoing throughout the hallway. Panicking, she suddenly wished she hadn't returned the map to James in the beginning of the school year. She cursed herself as the figure came into her line of vision, and she recognized it to be Lee Bode.

It wasn't as though she was frightened of him, he just seemed to know more than he let on, and Hermione didn't trust him one bit. Hermione kept her head down and walked fast. Hopefully, she would pass him before he had the chance to stop and talk to her. Hermione wondered if he was this particularly annoying to the other students, or if it was just to her. The footsteps became louder, and Hermione could tell that he was coming closer towards her.

"Hermione," Professor Bode said in a startled voice, "What has you wandering around the castle so early?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. His dark eyes were piercing down at Hermione, and she felt herself go frigid underneath his stare.

"Uhm," Hermione cleared her throat. "I was feeling a bit sick; I'm off to the hospital wing." Hermione lied as she held a hand over her stomach and took a step away from him, attempting to end the conversation before it had started.

"Beautiful full moon last night," Professor Bode slowly said. "Did you see it?" He cast a suspicious glance toward Hermione and smiled. Hermione inwardly cringed at his smile, she wanted to hex him, than run away, but she remained still. "I thought I heard some screams," He said and then turned to Hermione and sneered. "Maybe even some howls." He added and Hermione froze.

"No, I'm afraid I was sleeping." Hermione said through clenched teeth, one hand was balled into a fist, and the other was wrapped around her wand. For a moment, Bode remained silent, so Hermione headed towards the hospital wing once again.

"Miss Granger," He called and Hermione halted in place. She took a deep breath before turning around to face him.

"Professor," She said a bit urgently, hoping he'd get the hint to let her be.

"I went to the Three Broomsticks a few times this summer, and you weren't there." He said, and Hermione froze. "I thought you said you were staying there for the summer?"

Hermione swallowed and took a deep breath. "I was, you must have just missed me." She said with a tight smile. "I'd really like to stay and talk, but I'm not feeling well, and need to go see Madam Pomfrey," Hermione insisted and then turned around and began walking towards the hospital wing.

"I'll walk you there," He told her in a voice that made Hermione want to squirm. Very quickly Hermione shook her head and cleared her throat.

"I think I'll be fine on my own," She said quickly and then stalked off in the other direction quickly.

What was he hinting at? Was he aware Remus was a werewolf? Did he know that Hermione had stayed at Hogwarts for the majority of the summer? Hermione walked faster as she headed toward the hospital wing, looking back every few moments to make sure he hadn't followed her. Hermione wanted to tell Dumbledore about him, but what could she say? That he creeped her out? If that worked, then nearly half the staff would be shipped out.

Once Hermione found her way into the hospital wing, she sighed in relief as she saw Remus sleeping soundly on one of the beds. Sirius, Peter, and James were sitting on the nearby beds, talking in low voices, and looking exhausted. James noticed her first, and offered her a sleepy smile.

"You're up bright and early, aren't you?" He said with a sly grin, even though he looked tired. Hermione shrugged and snorted, before pulling out the large bar of chocolate.

"I thought Remus could use this," She admitted as she waved it in front of James. The messy haired boy's smile fell as he stared at the chocolate bar, nearly salivating. Hermione grinned at him and then hopped on the bed next to Peter, her eyes drifting towards Remus.

"How long has he been out?" Hermione wondered as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall.

"He should be up soon," Sirius said as he watched Remus as well. Hermione's heart paused as she looked at Sirius. She knew it had been him who she had also smelled in the Amortentia, but she pushed back those feelings. They had meant nothing. What she had with Sirius was purely puppy love, and nothing more. She was certain Sirius felt the same way as well.

Remus' scent was much stronger in the potion anyways, that had been obvious. Hermione was almost positive that if her senses weren't as hyperactive as they were that day, that she probably wouldn't have even been able to smell Sirius at all.

"Okay, I'll wait then." Hermione offered as she made herself comfortable and shifted on the bed. "How was the night? He took the potion. It shouldn't have been too bad." Hermione mused as she looked over at the new scar on Remus' face.

"The night was fine, thanks." Remus' voice startled the other four, and Hermione jumped in place. She stood up quickly and pulled the piece of chocolate out of her robe pocket. Remus' eyes fluttered open and he smiled as he took Hermione in.

"I brought you chocolate, I know it probably won't help much but—"

"It's perfect, thank you." Remus said as he grabbed the chocolate out of her hand and sat up slowly on the bed. Hermione inhaled sharply and winced at his injuries, they looked awfully painful. She hoped that Remus didn't notice her expression, but it had been obvious that he had.

Remus moved his hand up to the bandage that covered part of his face. "Yeah, another one. Probably won't be too pretty either. I'm sorry." He said quietly as he ruffled up his dirty blonde curls. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Remus and frowned.

"Don't apologize; please don't ever apologize for that Remus." She told him as she grabbed one of his hands tightly and squeezed. Remus smiled faintly at her and closed his eyes.

"The potion works like a charm," Remus said in his raspy morning voice. "But sometimes—sometimes I can't stop these…things from happening, even if I tried. The transformation is too rough." He explained to Hermione.

Hermione nodded her head, taking all of what Remus was saying in.

"I'm sorry I can't help more, I hate seeing you like this." Hermione whispered to him and Remus shrugged.

"I hate you seeing me like this," He admitted softly and Hermione frowned at Remus' stubbornness.

"Do you think you'll be in class this afternoon?" Hermione wondered curiously.

"He most definitely will not!" Madam Pomfry stormed into the hospital wing with a small bottle of something dark. "Drink this dear, it'll make you feel better." Madam Pomfrey told Remus as she handed him the bottle. Remus quickly drank it, something that Hermione thought he must have had to of done hundreds of times. Madam Pomfry turned to the four other students and put a hand on her hip.

"He needs rest!" She said as she shooed them out of the room. Hermione gave Remus a weak smile and a small wave before she disappeared behind the hospital wing door.

"Was it bad last night?" Hermione asked once they were out of Remus' earshot.

"Actually, quite tame compared to some other times." Peter explained quietly and Hermione lifted an eyebrow.

"But his transformations stay the same," Sirius added quickly. "And those were always the worst." He said with a sigh and a shake of the head. Hermione pondered on this for a moment, before sighing as well, imagining what it would be like to go through the painful transformation once a month.

The four of them slowly returned to the Gryffindor common room, leaving Remus alone to sleep in the Hospital Wing. Once Peter and James disappeared into the boys' dorm, Hermione grabbed Sirius' elbow, holding him back from walking any further.

Sirius turned around quickly, an earnest and shocked expression on his handsome face, but it quickly turned into one of confusion.

"What?" He questioned as he shook his arm out of Hermione's tight grasp.

"I want you to teach me how to be animagus." Hermione demanded suddenly. Sirius stared at her for a moment, then gaped and let out a loud, barking laugh. Hermione crossed her arms in front of him and narrowed her eyes. She didn't find this situation comical whatsoever.

"Why?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow.

"So I can chase after my own tail," Hermione said sarcastically, and then shoved Sirius' shoulder. "So I can be with Remus while he transforms, you prat." She said shaking her head in disbelief. "Why do you think?"

Sirius lifted an eyebrow and then shook his head. "Listen, Hermione becoming an animagus is very difficult. It takes lots of intense training and dedication." He explained to her slowly and Hermione shifted onto her other hip.

"And I'm lacking dedication? Or am I lacking skill?" Hermione asked Sirius. Her leg tapped up and down rapidly while she waited for an answer. Sirius must have noticed his mistake because he quickly cleared his throat and attempted to backpedal

"Erm—Hermione, that's not what I meant." Sirius said as he put his arms up defensively.

"Sirius, I just want to be with Remus while he transforms." Hermione pleaded with her friend. "It kills me knowing that I'm up at the castle, safe and warm, _in my bed_ , while Remus is going through _absolute hell_!" Hermione finished and involuntarily stomped her foot down hard on the ground.

"Hermione, it's not any better being down there with him. _We_ have to actually watch him transform. It's worse than you think." Sirius explained to her. Hermione remained silent, still staring at Sirius, not knowing what to say next.

Quickly Sirius added, "And don't you think you have enough on your plate?"

"Fine, if you won't teach me, I'll ask Peter or James." Hermione told him. Sirius' mouth dropped, but then he moved as if he was about to speak.

"Hermione—"

"Or maybe I'll teach myself," She said with a winning smile, she knew she had him. Sirius looked at her once more, and then his eyes fell to the ground.

"Do you really want to?" He asked in a quiet voice. Hermione eagerly nodded her head.

"Please, Sirius." Hermione pleaded, and Sirius reluctantly nodded his head. Hermione squealed with delight and attacked Sirius with a large hug. She hopped from one foot, to the other, the large smile never leaving her face.

"One condition!" Sirius announced loudly, and Hermione let go of him.

"And what's that?" Hermione wondered and Sirius smirked.

"You have to call me Professor Black, or Sir at all times. Or else this deal is off." He said with a hint of mischief behind his ice blue eyes. Hermione's eyes went wide and she gasped out loud.

"Ew!" She cried out. "I'm not calling you sir!" She said and then shoved Sirius over. "Is that some weird fetish of yours?!" Hermione backed away nearly three feet from Sirius, her eyes narrowed down at him in concern.

"Then I'm not teaching you," He said defiantly. Hermione's face crinkled up at the thought of calling Sirius Professor Black, but what choice did she have?

"Okay, fine." Hermione said reluctantly.

"Okay, _Professor Black._ " Sirius corrected her. Hermione's skin crawled and she let out a helpless laugh. "Say it." Sirius demanded. Hermione took a deep breath and swallowed her pride.

"Okay, _Professor Black._ " Hermione said through clenched teeth.

~Until Next Time~

 **Thank you so much for reading! You guys are so great and I cannot even express how thankful I am for all of you wonderful readers. Please review my story, let me know what you are thinking. I love reading your reviews; it's my favorite part of the day. Thank you again, you lovely people!**


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